A BIT OF HUMOR

One day a new chicken was introduced to the farm.
The duck, who was the main bird in charge, shows the new chicken around.
"This is where you go to get fed, this is the water trough and that is the coop.
Chickens hang out near the fence, us ducks near the pond and the geese near the
gate. We're pretty friendly but we keep to our own."
"Oh but whatever you do, DO NOT cross that road. You'll never hear the end of
it."

[forwarded by Steve Sanderson]

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You should never hit a guy with glasses. Always use your fist.

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MIKEYSFUNNIES.COM

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DAY

Each Providing a Useful Function

Romans 12:4-5a

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body...

This is the first time Paul has used the concept of the body to describe the church. It is a theme he will continue throughout Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians. Paul tells us the church -- as the body of Christ -- is to function much like a human body. In the same way, although we are all members of the same body, we do not have the identical functions. Think about how many members there are in your own church. Hundreds maybe even thousands, each with their own specific and unique purpose. It is really a mind-bending thought, especially with how much science has taught us about the intricacies of our own bodies.
For example, consider the cilica: tiny hairs in your lungs. What is their purpose? They act like tiny brooms, sweeping dust and dirt particles from the air we breathe. A necessary and critical function, yet for the most part completely hidden from view.
Many times we look at the people around us -- the gifts God gave them and the way He made them -- and we think "he's too aggressive", "she's too sweet", or "they're too loud." We can't imagine how they could possibly provide any useful function. But then again, we are not the designer of the human body, nor the body of Christ, God is. It is from this perspective we come to realize there are many members of the church's body, and each one was designed by Him with a very specific part to fulfill.

Who are we to judge the value of another part of the body of Christ? Is one more important than another? No. One thing I enjoy doing is looking around and talking to people trying to discover the reason God placed this particular person in our church. Try it sometime. It really changes your perspective on the contributions of each individual member to the body.

POCKETPOWER.ORG

DISCOVERING THE CHARACTER OF YOUR CHURCH: PERSONAL vs SHARED

by Phil Ware on September 29, 2013

As a church leader, ask yourself a few questions:

1. What makes our church tick?
2. What values lie behind the decisions we make, where we spend our money, and where we place our emphasis in ministry?
3. Are these operational values consistent with our stated, shared values?
4. What are the hidden conflicts in our congregation over our shared and personal values?
5. What are the hidden, subterranean, conflicts among our leaders that are connected to their personal values as they rub up against our personal values?
6. What shared values do we have that don't seem reflected in our congregation's mission, functioning, spending, and allocation of people resources?
7. Am I causing conflict because I am letting my personal values become more important than our congregation's shared values?

These are terribly important questions church leaders must ask themselves. Their personal values may not be a reflection of the congregation's shared values — which invariably leads to tension and conflict.
Let's clarify a few things before we look more closely at personal values and shared values. Hopefully, we all share a basic and core set of discipleship values. Notice how the apostle Paul speaks directly to these issues:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2 NIV).

To put this into cornbread English: all our values as disciples of Jesus are rooted in our desire to please God and to submit to his will because of all God has so graciously done for us in Jesus.  Later in Paul's message to these same brothers and sisters in Christ, he spells out what this ultimate value looks like in daily life:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:9-21 NIV).

Paul's words about discipleship values are remarkably similar to what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29) ... what Paul taught about the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:13-26) ... what Peter taught on living for God (1 Peter 1:13-25; 2 Peter 1:5-11) ... and what is taught in a host of other passages on Christian living. These shared discipleship values are the behavioral norms for Jesus' followers as they live out their ultimate value of pleasing God and living according to their Father's will.
Again, to put it in cornbread English: as a disciple, a follower of Jesus and a child of God, I will live out God's call for holy character and gracious compassion through clear and concrete ways that honor God and bless others.
However, each of us has been created as a unique disciple. We each have:

• Certain strengths God formed in us at conception (Psalm 139:13-16).
• Certain interests and insights we have developed as God has led us and worked in us through life (Romans 8:28; Philippians 2:13).
• Certain spiritual gifts that we have received since becoming Christians and the Holy Spirit took up residence in us (1 Corinthians 12:4-7; Ephesians 4:7-13; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

I refer to this as God's SIGnature that he has placed upon us as his masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).
This means that we all have personal values that are rooted in God forming us to be unique parts of Jesus' Body, the Church. These personal values will not override discipleship values — we can't forego submitting to the will of God and living in holy and gracious ways simply because we have (for instance) the gift of teaching. It does mean, however, that we are going to see some things differently from a personal, individual perspective than anyone else in the congregation. We will be passionate about areas of ministry that don't excite others. We will honor different priorities in ministry than others in Christ's Body.
Again, to put this into cornbread English: God specially formed me to have something unique to bring to the greater good of my congregation, Christ's Body, and that unique formation creates unique perspectives and priorities.
As leaders, we must acknowledge that our personal values are important: after all, God formed them in us. We bring these values to the table as a gift to the congregation. But, we do this in the context of a larger whole — we are but one body part in the Body of Christ. We are not the head... Jesus is head of his Body (Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 1:18; Colossians 2:19). We cannot be the tail — or hand or eye or nose — that wags the dog!
A congregation, based on its calling and sense of mission, will have a shared set of congregational values. When these values and this sense of mission are clear, operational, and emphasized, the congregation will allocate its resources, focus its ministry, and call its people to serve on the basis of those values. They become the hub around which the life and ministry of the congregation turns. These shared values are necessary for the unity and proper functioning of the congregation. The only alternative is a set of competing visions that destroys any sense of being a Body of connected and vital parts that disempowers the congregation and blocks the church from incarnating the bodily presence of Jesus in its community.
Paul put it this way:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully (Romans 12:3-8 NIV).

To put this into cornbread English one final time: my values, formed out of my unique experience as a disciple of Jesus, are just one part of the whole: it is not appropriate or godly for me to place greater importance on my unique role than the roles others play just as it is not right or spiritually healthy to place my values above the shared values of the congregation — I am a part of a bigger whole: a vital part of the bodily presence of Jesus!
Ignoring this last principle, of course, is the place where the real battle to live out our values can rub us raw!
As leaders, we can work our own agendas, based on our personal values that are permitted to transcend the shared values of the congregation. This erodes any sense of shared values and produces division in the congregation. Groups seek out leaders who share narrower values and have shown a willingness to sacrifice the many for the few. This creates a back channel flow of politics. Before long, there are no shared values in a congregation; any unified sense of mission is lost; coalitions are formed; and ministry becomes more about people getting their way than about functioning as the bodily presence of Jesus.
So what are we to do?
First, we must remember the key principles about values we learned from Paul (Romans 12):

1. Our ultimate value is to honor God, submit to him, and live according to his will.
2. We live out that ultimate value by behaving in ways consistent with God's holy character and gracious compassion in our daily lives.
3. We offer our unique strengths, interests and insights, as well as our spiritual gifts to the whole Body, as a vital part of Christ's Body, and for the benefit of the body.
4. We each recognize that we are just a part of a bigger whole, and that the shared values of the whole must transcend our own desires rooted in our personal values.

Second, we must be honest with ourselves as leaders and congregations as we ask hard questions similar to the ones found at the beginning of this article. So much church conflict arises out of ignoring the tensions between personal and shared values. While many find it frightening to address these issues, the real danger lies in ignoring them and allowing the resulting division, dissension, and rivalry to destroy the witness of our congregations.
Third, when in times of transition — hiring a minister, choosing elders and deacons, determining budgets, handling conflict — we need to make sure we align those critical decisions with our shared values. Asking some clarifying questions can help us:

• Do the personal values of a prospective minister align with our congregation's shared values? Do a minister's personal gifts and passions enhance or threaten our shared values and sense of calling from God?
• Will a prospective elder or deacon exercise leadership based on unique gifts or the shared values of the congregation? Will this potential leader's giftedness and personal passions enhance or threaten our shared values and sense of calling from God?
• Does this projected budget really reflect our values as a congregation and our sense of mission and calling from God? How can we better align our budget with our shared values and this sense of mission and calling?
• Are our conflicts rooted in a clash of shared and personal values among key leaders or members? Do our shared values actually reflect our operational values? Do our stated values need to be modified or changed to reflect our operational values or vice versa?

Conflicts arise in our churches and coalitions form because we feel so strongly about what God wants us to do. Strong feelings are good, but they must be channeled through the principles Paul teaches in Romans 12. At the same time, many tensions are the result of not living our shared values; having unclear shared values; not openly discussing the differences between our personal values and our shared values; and not submitting ourselves and our personal values to God and to the good of the whole Body of Christ.
As leaders, we can and must do better. Our congregations need us to build a healthy sense of unity around genuine shared values. Even more, our world needs to see united congregations functioning as the bodily presence of Jesus, living with each other and our neighbors with holy character and gracious compassion.

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This is the first of four articles related to determining a congregation's core values and how these values — hidden or stated, operational or aspirational, personal or shared, and used with integrity — work in the life of a congregation. The series is called "Discovering the Character of Your Church" and is found with other resources for churches, especially churches in ministerial transition, on the Interim Ministry Partners Website. The articles in this series are:

1. Core Values

• 'Are' Values and 'Should' Values
• Personal Values vs. Shared Values
• Values and Integrity

http://www.heartlight.org/articles/201309/20130929_personal_shared_values.html

YESTERDAY I RESIGNED AS PASTOR

 

 

Some of you are aware that there is a restoration and re-align taking place with the apostle of over our church, with our church itself and with many individuals in the church. We see this as a period of restoration and revival. Great things have been taking place around us as the power of God continues to manifest anytime any of us get together.
It is also a challenging time, and sometimes painful as the Spirit deals with things that need to be dealt with in our lives. This past weekend was such a moment for me.
Many years ago I was asked to pastor our church through a troubling time. Many leaders abandoned the family and it was a difficult time for people to hold on. Those who did, matured in the process and gained a profound understanding of the family of God. But there is a definite chain of command in the Body of Christ. Although we are all equal in importance and relationship in Jesus, there is a certain establishment of authority that he has created. Read Ephesians 4 as well as 1 Corinthians 12 to gain a beginning understanding of these matters.

This comes as bad news for those free radicals who do not want to be answerable to anybody but God. These are the type of believers who often dis-associate themselves from the Body for various reasons or spend their lives going from church to church, avoiding accountability. But they are also the ones who sit with a smile on their face in the pew, rejecting much of what is being preached because they believe they know better. But the Word demonstrates that the responsibility, vision, and leadership falls on a few that we know as apostles and prophets and it is the responsibility of the Body to support, encourage, and submit to these leaders. We have the responsibility of carrying the vision God has given to them.

On the weekend some of these things started coming together for me. The Spirit pointed out that things were not aligned properly in the headship of our church. My pastorship, which started 9 years ago, came under the authority of a man who had no authority over our church, thus my pastorship had no authority. Although we had placed the church under an apostle, that apostle had never appointed me as pastor, never laid hands on me, and I was not in alignment with his authority. The Spirit clearly made the point with me that I had to resign because mine was not a correct authority and it was blocking what God wanted to do.

This news came with no guarantees. I was to put aside the mantle of pastor, lay it at the feet of the apostle over the church and sit down. I was not permitted to walk away from the church. In fact, it was clearly my responsibility to become a man of valour to the apostle as David's men were to David. It was my responsibility to support, encourage, lift up, defend, serve, and humbly obey, carrying out the vision God had given to him. Not as a pastor but as a man of valour.

Sunday morning came and it had all been laid out in the spiritual realms what was to take place. I saw it clearly but I did not know if I had the strength to do this. How could I walk away from my calling, the only thing I knew how to do, my purpose on this planet? Yet it was the will of my Father and my only desire was to walk in his will. No guarantees. But as I stood in worship in our pre-service prep time, Jesus stood beside me.

I'm not kidding. I saw him in the Spirit stand beside me, put his arm across my shoulder in a physical act of encouragement and said very clearly, "I will give you the strength you need. I am proud of you." I was overwhelmed by gratitude and love. I felt his strength, his power and I was warm all over by the burning that was taking place in me. A burning I could not control. A burning I could not contain. I wept all the way through worship, not out of sorrow or fear of what I had to do but out of gratitude for the compassion of my King, for his presence and my awareness of it. I wanted to dance, shout and sing all at the same time. I was being renewed and re-established in this one single act of submission to my Father's will. Why had it taken me so long to understand?

The moment came quickly, the Word was preached easily, and in a single act of total surrender, I laid my Bible, representing my mantle, at the apostles feet. Peace filled my soul. I pledged myself to this man of God, to lift him up, to defend him, to carry his vision, to serve. Strength flowed into my limbs, my heart, my soul. Then my wife and I sat down.

It was done. Finished. Completed. I was no longer pastor. No guarantees.

And then something incredible happened.

The apostle took my Bible, had my wife and I stand, handed my Bible (mantle) back to me and laid hands on us, appointing us as pastors of the church under his authority as apostle. If no one else understood the significance of this moment, the man of God, my apostle did. Everything suddenly came into alignment with the Father's heart. Everything from the past was washed away. Everything was made right, proper, and in the will of God. The authority in the church was established according to the will of God. Everything in an instant was healed and made whole. The church gathered around with affirming words and prayers.

Now it was done. Now it was finished. Now it was completed. Now I was truly pastor. Guaranteed.

Today I am more than I was yesterday. Today I am truly a man of authority under authority. Today I stand healed and made whole in my leadership in the church. Today, the mountain is removed and the path made clear for the free flowing blessings and power of Jesus. Today is the first day of a new season for me, my family and the church, and I think for our apostle as well. Today my apostle has a man of valour by his side. May God use us all mightily in this dying world as we minister in his appointed manner.

 

Posted byPaul Van Buren at11:36 AM

MATTHEW 10:38-39 BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

And anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

—Matthew 10:38-39 (NIV)

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Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Jesus wants us to seriously look into our hearts and surrender those things that hold us back from fully following and serving him. We know what they are. He comes to us with his now nail-scarred hands and reminds us that he gave up everything to redeem us. He now wants us to surrender to the Cross the things that hold us back. Let's do it today!

Prayer...

Father God, Almighty King, I am sorry for the areas of my life that I have kept hidden away from the righteousness that your Spirit is working to cultivate in me. I now confess those secret areas of sin to you and ask that you cleanse me and liberate me from Satan's power that binds them to me and holds me back from wholehearted service to your Son. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi/todaysverse.cgi

ROSE AND LINDA'S JOURNAL

NOW YOU KNOW/ YOU MUST SOW TO HAVE A HARVEST TO REAP

 

To be able to reap, we need to plant seed.  That seed has to come to harvest for us to reap.  The following are the definitions of sow, reap, harvest.  Understanding the meaning of these words will help in understanding what is means to reap what you sow.  Without a harvest, after you sow, there is nothing to reap.

 

Sow-to scatter [seed] over the ground for growing-to impregnate [a growing medium] with seed-to propagate: disseminate-to strew or cover with something

Propagate-to cause to multiply

disseminate-to scatter widely- to spread abroad-to become spread out

 

Reap -to cut [a grain or pulse]- or harvest with a scythe, sickle, or reaper-to harvest [a crop]-to harvest a crop from-to obtain as a result of effort-to obtain as a result of effort-to obtain a return or reward

 

Harvest-the act or process of gathering a crop-the crop that ripens or is gathered in a season-the amount or measure of the crop gathered in one season-the time or season of such gathering-the consequence or result of an action

 

God gives us seed and tells us where to sow it.  God does not sow for us or make us sow.  We don't have to make our seed grow, God does that.  He is the one that grows the harvest, then we are to reap.

 

God Bless

 

recj/LJG

A BITOF HUMOR

GOLD STAR MOTHER
By Keo R. Gathman

As she stands beside his grave
On yet another Memorial Day,
She remembers the boy she sent away
And how he became the man resting here today.
His heroes didn't become famous playing ball.
In fact most of their names were never well known at all.
They went to work wearing camouflage green and desert brown,
Earning their reputation as the toughest warriors around.
When he first saw them in dress blues
The heart within her little boy knew,
That nothing short of becoming one of them would do.
Time all too quickly passed by
As childhood things were put aside,
And his heart's desire would not be denied.
"I love you, Mom" he said one day
"But the time has come for me to go away,"
And she knew his decision she couldn't sway.
Through tears she tried so hard to keep inside
She told her baby boy goodbye.
Writing him letters nearly every day
She often took the time to pray,
"Lord be with my boy today."
"Help him clearly see the man I know that he can be,
Grant him his most cherished dream,
Let him come home, a United States Marine."
When the time came for him to go to war
She feared as she had never feared before,
Prayed there would be no knock on her front door.
They came that day dressed in their blues
And though in her heart she already knew,
She cried out "No, it can't be true."
The man child she had sent away
Was at last coming home to stay.
He never doubted what they did was right,
And he never wavered in the fight.
Forever and always as in his childhood dreams,
Her boy remains a United States Marine.

Copyright 2006 Keo R. Gathman ( beakerless@hotmail.com ). Permission is granted
to send this to others, with attribution, but not for commercial purposes.

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A friend is someone who reaches for your hand, but touches your heart.

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 www.mikeysFunnies.com

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DAY

The Source of the Gift

Romans 12:6a
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

 

 

In our passage today, Paul answers a fundamental question often asked by believers regarding gifts, "Why don't I have such and such gift?" Previously Paul had answered, "Because the body works better if we have balance in the distribution of gifts." Now he makes a very simple statement of clarification, "The gifts we have are according to the grace given us."
When I was a little boy I wanted to fly like Superman. I tied a pillow case around my neck, and ran around the house with my arms stretched high above my head pretending to fly. I even tried jumping off things (the stairs, sofa, out of a tree, the roof of the house) thinking maybe I just needed to be a little higher in order to take flight. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fly. I got a number of bumps and bruises, but flying wasn't one of "super-powers" God chose to give me.
We know -- flying, stopping a bullet, or running faster than a speeding train -- are not the type of spiritual gifts Paul is speaking about today. However, it does illustrate the point that gifts are just that, they are "gifts". We don't earn them and specialized training for them doesn't help -- all we're going to be left with are bumps, bruises, and disappointment. Why? Because it is by God's grace alone we receive gifts.

 

 

Are you a little bruised and battered today? Take a long hard look at your life, are you trying to be someone you are not? Confusion and disappointment are the by-products of a life led chasing dreams, rather than fulfilling our aptitudes. What are your God-given talents and abilities? What do you continue to pursue? Is the gift you want the one the same as God has given? Is it His intention and plan for your life? The lie of this world is -- "Anything is possible if you want it bad enough!" That simply is not true. If it were, I would be flying right now, just like Superman.

POCKETPOWER.ORG

PHILIPPIANS 4:12 BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

—Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

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Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Contentment! Mmmm, I'd like to have a little of that; how about you? I find it hard to be contented about almost anything. My performance is not up to par. My weight isn't where it should be. My words were a little insensitive in the last conversation. It's even easier to slip into recognizing what we don't have financially and then pursue that. But before money, possessions, health, or any other thing can be truly enjoyed, we first have to learn that contentment is not based on our circumstances but our salvation.

Prayer...

Almighty and generous God, you are the giver of all good gifts, so now I would like your help in finding the gift of contentment. Bless me as you choose, for I know deep in my heart that no blessing can compare to being your child and being loved and known personally by you. In Jesus' name I thank you. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=19990828

Blessed Assurance

by Phillip Morrison on September 26, 2013

 

As my mother neared the end of her life, her comments sometimes bordered on the comical, but most of the time they were painfully serious. I had to smile a bit when she said, "I'm not afraid to die, but I don't really know what it's like because I've never been dead!"On the other hand, I wasn't smiling on another day, when my sadness was more like grief. I visited Mother to give comfort and assurance, but on this day I unintentionally added to her anxiety. "Do you think," she asked, "that I have really done enough, that I have been good enough, to go to Heaven?" Completely misreading the situation, I thought she had given me an opening to preach a sermonette about grace. "No, Mother," I said, "No one has done enough; no one is good enough to go to Heaven. We don't get to Heaven because we have performed a long list of good works; we get to Heaven by the grace of God."
A few more sentences and I suddenly realized from my mother's expression that she wasn't hearing a word I said. She had heard only the first sentence of my answer: "No, Mother. No one has done enough; no one is good enough to go to Heaven." Of course I tried to explain, to be sure she understood, to build her trust. But, I finally left with the painful feeling that I had raised her anxiety rather than her confidence.
A veteran preacher was teaching a class on Christian confidence and assurance. A class member became increasingly uncomfortable with what he thought was spiritual arrogance. He asked, "Are you saying that you know that if you die right now you'll go to Heaven? Isn't that terribly arrogant?"
With a confident twinkle in his eye, the old preacher said, "Of course that's what I'm saying. And it isn't arrogance at all; it's assurance — blessed assurance!"


My friend Ray Hawk knew a man who had a donut shop where he displayed some pamphlets Ray had written. One day a woman picked up a paper, read it hurriedly, and asked the proprietor, "Do you really believe what's in here?"
When he assured her that he did believe, she said, "I have just one question. If you die right now, will you go to Heaven?"
When he began to equivocate and mumble an "I hope so..." answer, she smiled and said, "I don't think I want to swap my certainty for your uncertainty!"
I knew another preacher who would say to his audience, "I want you to have a faith so strong that you know that you know that you know you are saved!"
If Robert Fulghum really learned everything he needed to know in kindergarten, why did he pursue higher education at Baylor University? Human knowledge is constantly being revised as new information becomes known. Faith in God is constantly growing as our relationship with him grows.
I had my epiphany as a young preacher when I delivered a sermon chastising people for not doing more and working harder to assure their salvation. In what I am convinced was a providential choice, the song following my sermon said, "Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe..." Because I owe that debt — to the one who paid everything for me — I live a life of faith, expressing my gratitude every day for the price of my redemption he paid at Calvary. I don't do it to try to do enough to get into heaven: Jesus already paid that debt! We are uncertain when we trust in ourselves and worry about our performance. When we trust in Him, we gratefully accept the fullness of redemption. Eugene Peterson has captured the essence of the Apostle Paul's message to Christians in Ephesus:

Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and the saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing (Ephesians 2:8-9 TM).

His certainty or your uncertainty. The choice is yours.

About the Author

These Encouraging Words from Phillip Morrison are drawn from more than 60 years of ministry and life as a husband, father, grandfather, editor, and writer. A devoted follower of Jesus, Phillip has tried to bring encouragement throughout his life and ministry. He was the founding managing editor of both UpReach and Wineskins magazines. He and Mary Margaret have been married over 50 years moved to Lakeway, Texas to be near their children and grandchildren.

   Phillip Morrison

http://www.heartlight.org/articles/201309/20130926_blessedassurance.html

ROSE AND LINDA'S JOURNAL SUNDAY EDITORIAL

GOD IS IN CONTROL/JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL

 

Beautiful songs that we love to hear and sing.  It is so easy to actually say these 'Words,' but do we actually act on them?  Imagine if you will that you are driving down the interstate at the posted speed limit.  You are singing away 'God is in Control' suddenly from your blind side you see a car speeding into the side of your car.  Are you ready?  'JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL'  did you do it?  Be honest, did you take your hands off and let 'Him' take the wheel in control? 

 

Now I don't know about you personally, but I have been in a wreck.  My first thought was to follow any spin, drive into it, never apply the brakes.  My action was to turn the wheel, to try to get away. Nothing, no action of mine was going to prevent the collision, though my action might help prevent a worst collision, or possibility make it worst.  But that is not the question here, this is the question, "Did I let go and let Jesus take the wheel?"  

 

It is so hard for many of us to actually really just let go and let Jesus.  Even those of us that believe He can, also have been taught 'Faith without Works is Dead.'  Where do we step back and 'Let Him' do His thing?  

 

This is where all that pre-praying comes into account.   If we have a close personal relationship with Him, then we will hear His voice.  And even those that do not, if they will listen will hear that soft quiet voice say what to do.  Unfortunately many of us are not in tune to Him or His voice.  God amazes us as we hear stories of people, like the young man we shared earlier this week, who repeatedly heard the same thing. [Call on the Lord of Abraham...(9/26/2013]  As what looked tragic in the eyes to some was 'God In Control;'  leading this man to a personal relationship with Christ Jesus, whom we remember did not even believe in Him.

 

God does not always show us His plan, even though He is in control.  The thing that comes to mind is 'JESUS'  'LORD' call His Name, there is nothing greater than His Name, never forget this, if nothing else comes to your mind.  The young man lifted his hands to the one he believed in and heard nothing, then he lifted his hands to God, and then his answer came.  How much more will God do for those of us that do know and believe in Him?

 

God's Blessing on each one of you today.

 

recj/LJG 

 

A BIT OF HUMOR

TECH SUPPORT PROBLEM

Tech Support: "I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop."

Customer: "Okay."

Tech Support: "Did you get a pop-up menu?"

Customer: "No."

Tech Support: "Okay. Right-click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?"

Customer: "No."

Tech Support: "Okay, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this
point?"

Customer: "Sure. You told me to write 'click' and I wrote 'click.' Twice!"

[forwarded by Alistair McMillan]

============================

The only domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible is the cat.

=======================================

 www.mikeysFunnies.com

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DAY

Drive Thru Relationships

Relationships in today’s society is just like driving  through a fast food line, you order what you want, drive around and pay for  it.

You take the food without giving a second thought to how many calories and  most importantly is it healthy?
Chances are what you’re about to consume is not only unhealthy but  damaging.
Perhaps at some point resulting in disease which could rob your life!
Well, relationships can have the same disastrous results!

Relationships Without Boundaries Are a Recipe For Disaster.

It could be a family member, co-worker, boyfriend/girlfriend, church friends,  peers, people you’re called to shepherd/mentor, etc. The list is endless.
We seriously need to step back from time to time and evaluate the  relationships in our lives and ask ourselves Is this relationship healthy or  destructive?
Spend time in prayer asking the Lord what is not healthy and what to do about  it. There are times where you will have to close the door and walk away from a  relationship because not doing so will open up negativity and strife in your own  life.
Make no mistake, the devil will use so-called friends to steer you away from  God’s Best!
We recently had encountered a situation where we had to close the door  because the relationship was destructive and causing strife. The person involved  is not a bad person, not at all.
However, the demonic strongholds in their life were spilling into ours. The  unresolved issues affected their behavior and choices which spilled over to  those in connection with the individual.
After much prayer it was very clear and even though it hurt us to close the  door, it was the best thing to do. Not only for us but for the individual too.  Sometimes God will pull others away for your protection!

What If The Negative Person Is You?

What if you recognize the negative person is you?
How do you deal with yourself being the issue?
Well, I can speak from experience on this one!!  :)
I know there are certain issues I face that are not healthy for anyone to be  around and why would I want to subject anyone to anything unhealthy if I care  about them?
So the best thing I can do is limit my interaction with people I care about  so that I don’t affect them in a negative way.
I trust God that He is working in those areas so that in time, I will be  healthy in those areas!

There Is Nothing Wrong With Pulling Yourself Away For a Season So That  God Can Have His Way!!

It’s a good thing, not only in your relationship with God but for future  relationships with others!
Spend time asking God to evaluate first your own heart which is deceitful  above all things and then allow Him to show areas that need addressing. Ask Him  to remove those relationships that are not healthy for you and replace them with  on fire believers that will have a positive impact in your life!
Most importantly allow Him to bring those individuals into your life at His  Timing not yours.

• He may pull some away or He may tell you to close the door.

• He may ask you to stay in a certain place for a season to sow into  another.

• He may even ask you to pull away from all and seek just  Him.

Regardless Of What The Lord Asks Of You Or Reveals To You, Make Sure You  Do Exactly What He Says

Not only does the Lord have your best interest at heart, He has others best  interest at heart,  too.  The Lord knows what is best. (As Michael  would say, our heavenly Father always knows best)
Don’t jump into any relationship without careful consideration and time spent  in prayer or you could open yourself up to needless attacks and destructive  relationships that rob you of peace and joy.
Make no mistake those individuals who claim to be your friends that gossip,  slander, belittle, stir strife, talk negative behind your back, lie and  manipulate are not true friends, they are wolves in sheep’s skin.
They are not out for your best interest but for their own and they are being  used by the enemy to do his bidding!
Forgive them and distance yourself from them but most of all pray for them  because they’re opening up demons to invade their lives because of their  choices.
It’s easy to get upset, angry, resentful, or even bitter but you have to  remember that most of the time when someone is being used by Satan they are not  aware of it.
We need to pray their eyes to be opened to the reality of what they are  allowing into their lives.

Be careful what you order because you get what you pay  for!

Read more: http://www.bible-knowledge.com/drive-thru-relationships/#ixzz2g2S9X99y

PSALMS 23:6 BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

—Psalm 23:6 (KJV)

---

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God is our Shepherd. Our destiny is tied to his goodness and mercy which he longs to shower upon us until he brings us home to dwell with him forever.

Prayer...

Father God, please bathe my heart in your goodness and reach through me and my influence to extend your love to others. Make my heart and hope find its hope in you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20130926&ver=kjv

BEYOND THE SACRED PAGES

by Phil Ware on September 23, 2013

I was twenty-five years old. My son, for whom my dad had worked so hard to live long enough to see, was born hurt and we weren't sure if he would be able to see in one eye or be brain damaged because of the birth injuries. I stood over the hole in the ground where my father's body was about to be placed, and I struggled for the ability to say the words I truly believed — words of faith and hope that seemed so out of place to my feelings.The words of Martha and Mary to Jesus, at the tomb of their brother Lazarus' tomb were very much what I felt in that moment: "Lord, if you had only been here, he wouldn't have died!" (John 11:21-22; John 11:32)."Lord, if only you had been here..."
There are times when all of us who follow Jesus long to have him come and be present with us. We want our Savior to be real and present and close. Whether it is a time of crisis, loneliness, loss, illness, or discouragement, we ache to have Jesus come to us. We long for him to wipe away our tears, bring his comforting presence, and have our faith become our sight!
I bet you've been there. You know I have. So, what would you think if I told you that Jesus longs to come and meet with us even more than we long for his presence to be real to us? For several weeks, we will look at our yearning for Jesus' presence and Jesus' promises to come and be with us as Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23).
To see Jesus in our daily world, let's begin by going back to his and hearing a common greeting: "May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi!"
This is an ancient Jewish blessing given to those chosen to be disciples of a rabbi. The principle is simple: Rabbis walked around and taught their disciples in the everyday coming and going of real life. They learned by being with their master, seeing what he did, hearing what he taught, answering questions he would ask, and being given authority to follow in his master's footsteps with authority given to him by his rabbi.
Jesus chose twelve apostles to be his closest students, his apprentices — to be the people who were covered with his dust because they walked so closely with him:

Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:13-15 NLT).

So how do we get covered with the dust of our Rabbi Jesus?
The answer for us is as clear and straightforward as it is neglected. We join Jesus in his daily ministry. We open one of the gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke or John in our Bibles — and enter his world, and follow Jesus.
"I'm not good at reading the Bible."
"I'm sorry, but as much as I long to read the Bible, I find it confusing and boring. I feel guilty about it, but if I am honest, that is the way I feel."
"I want to do this. I'm usually good at it for a while, but then I find myself doing it less and less."
I've run into this so frequently when I can get people to be honest about their struggle in finding Jesus in his story in Scripture. But here is the point I want to make.
Reading the gospels is different than reading the Bible... at least in the way I want to challenge you to do it.
Matthew wrote his story of Jesus, his gospel, for us to meet Jesus. He alone calls Jesus, Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). He wants us to enter the story, learn all Jesus taught by what he said and by what he did, and then "keep this life of Jesus alive" — the word obey means to literally "keep" — by living his way in our daily lives (Matthew 28:20-21). Matthew wants Jesus to be God with us in our lives, too!
So how do we do that?
How do we meet a real Jesus in his story in the gospels?
How does it become more than just Bible reading?
Here are a couple things I have found helpful.
Don't read too much at one time: Read a little and let it settle into your soul and simmer in your heart. Read it in several versions. Read it slowly. Read it and ask Jesus to be real to you as you read it. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart in a way deeper than words. Seek to find in the reading what Jesus wants you to see about him — a word you need to notice for this time in your life, a teaching you need to memorize and put into practice, an action you need to see as something you need to do or know Jesus is beginning to do in your life.
See yourself as one of the characters in the story: Enter into the story as one of the people in the story. Do you want to know how Jesus feels about you? Do you want to know what Jesus would say to you in your situation? Do you want to know how Jesus would reach out to you? See how the Lord speaks, touches, reacts, affirms, ministers, forgives, reclaims, restores, and loves those in the story who wrestle with issues just like your own.
Open your imagination and put yourself in the story: Most of us have seen several of the Jesus movies and they can be very helpful, but your imagination — especially illuminated by the Holy Spirit when we invite the Spirit to help us (1 Corinthians 2:9-16) — can help make the gospels real. What are the expressions on people's faces? What does it smell like in this story? What is Jesus looking at as he teaches this truth? What is the intonation of Jesus' words? How does Jesus look at the people to whom he ministers? What do their faces look like as he touches, teaches, heals, and blesses them? The gospels are written more in the Jewish style — the Joe Friday, "Just the facts, mam!" style. With the Lord's help, we get to enter into that moment and it becomes our moment.
Is it really OK to study the Bible this way?
Now some of you, at this point, are wondering if this is an acceptable way to do Bible study — or in our case, Jesus study so he is Immanuel to us. My response is multi-layered.
First, I have found it very helpful to me, and most preachers and teachers who have grabbed your heart with the Jesus story have done this for you as they share their message.
Second, others I have taught to do this have been profoundly blessed. It took them awhile, because most of us have been programmed to read a certain number of verses or chapters rather than settling into the story and letting it be something that is real, something into which we have entered. However, when you learn to do this, the Jesus story becomes much more real and rich to you.
Third, do this with younger children. They remind you to keep the story short. They have vivid imaginations. They will say things you don't expect. They will notice things you don't grasp. Plus, you will need to read simpler versions of the Bible and you will notice things that you have overlooked because you are out of your familiar territory in your Bible translation. They remind you to listen with wonder, excitement and anticipation. This works even better after you have read the story to them if you retell it in a way that keeps their attention and then have them retell it!
Fourth, this is very much along the tradition of Jewish celebrations of God's great events. The Passover was a time to not just remember, but relive what God had done — this was something God did for "us" and we share in it through the taste and smell of things that make the message real. The Lord's Supper is rooted in this same kind of reliving — a remembering involving more than our brain, but our taste buds, our sense of smell, and our doing it in community with others. Baptism is never called a symbol or step, but a sharing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus where what the Lord did on the Cross, in the tomb, and on resurrection Sunday actually becomes real in us (Romans 6:3-7). So what we are doing in our reading the story of Jesus is doing what Jesus and his apostles did with the Old Testament: they lived the story in the moment of reading it.
I have found if we will approach the gospel story of Jesus this way, suddenly we are in the crowd. Jesus' words are to us. Jesus' love is real and his presence is challenging or comforting or affirming or... whatever is most needed in the moment that we seek Jesus to not just be an ancient Savior, but our living and present Lord and Savior.
There's an old hymn that I remember singing as a child that still speaks to the longing of my heart. The song is titled, "Break Thou the Bread of Life" (by Mary Lathbury) and was almost always sung in connection with the Lord's Supper. Yet, the more I've heard it and listened to it and sung it, the more I have realized it is about my yearning for Jesus to be real... right now... in the moments of my life... when I need him... and when I need to be guided by him.
And for our seeking Immanuel in the story of the gospels, these few lines are powerfully true:

Beyond the sacred page, I seek Thee, Lord. My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word.

Let's find Immanuel, God with us, in the story of Jesus in the gospels — not as Bible reading, but as Bible reliving and genuine holy experience.

About the Author

Phil Ware works with churches in transition with Interim Ministry Partners" and is minister of Outreach and Missions at Southern Hills Church in Abilene, Texas. For the past 17+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click here.

   Phil Ware

http://www.heartlight.org/articles/201309/20130923_beyondthesacredpage.html

ROSE AND LINDA'S JOURNAL

PLANTING TOMATOES TO GET PEACHES

 

Most trees and plants require pollination between two or more plants for fruit to set.  Today though we are going to instruct you on how Christians can plant one thing to get another.  

 

As Christians we know that we are to tithe a 10th of all our income to the Lord. We know that we can also plant seed offerings. We have been taught that we reap what we sow.  What happens though when we do not have money to plant a seed for something we desire in life.  What do we do then?  Plant what you have.

 

Okay we can hear you saying no way we can plant tomatoes and get peaches.  If we suggested to you that you plant 10 dollars a month believing God for a car, would you not do it?  Money is not a car.  So let's take it a step further.  You can plant time, example offering to clean the church, or take care of the lawn as an offering to the Lord for that car.  You can easily offer your time to visit the sick and elderly.  We believe that if you give freely of what you do have then the Lord will bless you with what you do need. 

 

Only Christians can plant one seed and receive another.  The Lord in His wisdom knows what you need.  He also knows what you have to give.  Give freely of that which you have to give and the Lord will take care of your needs.

 

God Bless

 

recj/LJG  

A BIT OF HUMOR

HOW TO LIE TO THE BATHROOM SCALES
1. Weigh yourself with clothes on, after dinner...as well as in the morning,
without clothes, before breakfast, because it's nice to see how much weight
you've lost overnight.
2. Never weigh yourself with wet hair.
3. When weighing, remove everything, including glasses. In this case, blurred
vision is an asset. Don't forget the earrings, these things can weigh at least a
pound.
4. Use cheap scales only, never the medical kind, because they are always five
pounds off...to your advantage, of course.
5. Always go to the bathroom first.
6. Stand with arms raised, making pressure on the scale lighter. (Waving them is
optional but occasionally helps)
7. Don't eat or drink in the morning until AFTER you've weighed in, completely
naked, of course.
8. Weigh yourself after a haircut, this is good for at least half a pound of
hair (hopefully).
9. Exhale with all your might BEFORE stepping onto the scale (air has to weigh
something, right?)
10. Start out with just one foot on the scale, then holding onto the towel rack
in front of you, slowly edge your other foot on and slowly let off of the rack.
Admittedly, this takes time, but it's worth it. You will weigh at least two
pounds less than if you'd stepped on normally.
[forwarded by Jerry Lambert]
============================
Jill was planning to make some pastries for breakfast and later on, can some
pickles. She sent Jack out for the spices she would need and he left, singing,
"Gonna take a cinnamon-dill journey..."
=======================================
www.mikeysFunnies.com

ANSWERS FROM THE BOOK

Answers From the Book

QUESTION:  Is drinking beer, wine, or any alcohol a sin?  I have read scripture about drunkenness and drunkards will not enter the kingdom of heaven, but what about the limit or strength of alcohol?  And please explain when Jesus turned water into wine. It wasn't actual wine was it? It was grape juice, right? I know ba...ck in those days doesn’t mean the same now days. So just checking!

ANSWER:   The drinking of alcoholic drinks has divided many believers into opposing camps.  Some say that to drink any sort or amount of alcohol is a sin; others say that as long as a person does not drink to excess, there is nothing wrong with it.  For all of us, our desire should be to ask, “what saith the scriptures?”  First of all, we know without a doubt that the Lord does not want us to be drunk with alcohol.  Ephesians 5:18 says plainly, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”  Alcohol, in excess, controls those who drink it.  Rather than be controlled by alcohol, the believer is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
We have a warning in Proverbs 23:31 to, “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.”  In this case, to look would mean to desire or long for the intoxicating effect of the wine.  Let’s compare this to the words of the Lord in Matthew 5:28, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”  In both of these references, we see that to ‘look’ indicates the desire of the heart.  To desire to drink wine to become intoxicated is definitely wrong.
But, is it always wrong to drink an alcoholic drink?  Most of us are aware that the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to drink wine for its medicinal effects as we read in 1 Timothy 5:23, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.”  We can see that to use wine as a medicine is deemed to be good.  Even today, many of the cough syrups and cold medicines have a high percentage of alcohol in them.  So, I think we can agree that alcohol can be used as a treatment in certain illnesses.
What about social drinking of alcohol, is that sin?  And what about the wine the Lord created out of water…was that really fermented, intoxicating wine?  In John, chapter two, we have the story of a wedding feast in the city of Cana.  The Lord Jesus and His disciples were there, along with Mary, the mother of Jesus.  At this feast, the wine soon ran out and the Lord learned of this.  Let’s read John 2:6-11, “And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.  When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.”  The Greek word that is translated wine here is ‘Oinos’, which is an intoxicating wine.  The wine that Lord made was considered better than the wine that had been served previously.
Some among the Lord’s people would take a Nazarite vow as a way to dedicate their lives completely to the Lord.  One of the vows taken was to abstain from drinking alcohol.  John the Baptist had obviously taken this vow.  We read in Matthew 11:18-19, “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners…”  So, while John did not drink wine, we see that the Lord Jesus did.  He was even falsely accused of being a drunkard.
So, how are we to understand these things?  I’m sorry, but I think my answer will be contrary to what you long to hear.  To re-emphasize a point made at the beginning, let’s read again Ephesians 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”  To be drunk with alcohol is against the clear teaching of the scriptures, however to take a bit of alcohol is not condemned in the Word of God, as long as drunkenness does not occur.  However, if you have a conscience against drinking alcohol, I encourage you to not go against your conscience.  I don’t drink alcohol because of the possibility that it might stumble a younger believer.  As believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, we have many liberties; we also have the privilege of giving up some of our liberties if we think that it might hurt or offend someone else.
We need to be sensitive to the needs of our younger brothers and sisters in Christ.  In 1 Corinthians eight, we learn of the practice of some buying meat that had been previously offered to idols.  Although we learn that to buy this cheaper meat was permissible, some were offended by it.  The Apostle Paul gives us a Godly, caring principle when he says in 1 Corinthians 8:13, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”

CALL ON THE LORD OF ABRAHAM, LIFT YOUR HANDS TO THE GOD OF ABRAHAM

please watch this...

PSALMS 23:5 BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY

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

—Psalm 23:5 (NIV)

---

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

While the enemy of the righteous may flourish for a season, God will lavish his love and show his favor on the righteous. As the apostle Paul reminded his dear friends in Philippi, their prayers and the work of the Holy Spirit guaranteed his deliverance: he would either be delivered from prison and death to serve them, or he would be delivered from prison through death to go be with the Father (Phil. 3:19-21). Either way, God's righteous will get a banquet, a place of honor, and a royal welcome that will vindicate their faithfulness before those who oppose them.

Prayer...

Father, King of the ages, I do believe that you will throw a party in my honor and treat me as one of your royal children. Thank you for this promise. Thank you for the assurance of ultimate vindication. Thank you for making my life overflow with your love and grace. In Jesus' name I praise you! Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi/todaysverse.cgi

ROSE AND LINDA'S JOURNAL

I AM NOT THE DEVILS

It’s none of the devils business when we die.  He has nothing in us.  Yet while we are living he has nothing in us either.  We are none of his business. We belong to God, and are walking in His destiny that He has for our Life’s.  

The devil try’s to make us his business, but any mistakes we make in life, we as heirs to the throne of Christ,  our mistakes are just that our mistakes.  Mistakes that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will grant us forgiveness for as soon as we sincerely ask for it.  

We refuse to give credit to the devil for our mistakes, they belong to us and us alone.  Just as we belong to Christ and Christ alone and no other.  

The devil did not make us do it, we choose to do it, and realizing our failures we ask Jesus for forgiveness.  

Ponder on that for a bit.  Accept responsibility for your actions, don’t try to pass the buck, and certainly not to give the devil any credit for any sin we might do.

God Bless

recj/LJG    

A BIT OF HUMOR

TRUE QUOTES ABOUT SCIENCE FROM KIDS
Part 2
~ H2O is hot water, and CO2 is cold water.
~ To collect fumes of sulfur, hold a deacon over a flame in a test tube. When
you smell an odorless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide.
~ Water is composed of two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin.
Hydrogin is gin and water.
~ Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes and caterpillars.
~ Blood flows down one leg and up the other.
~ Respiration is composed of two acts, first inspiration, and then
expectoration.
~ The moon is a planet, just like the earth, only it is even deader.
~ Dew is formed on leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them
perspire.
~ Mushrooms always grow in damp places so they look like umbrellas.
~ The pistol of a flower is its only protections against insects.
~ The skeleton is what is left after the insides have been taken out and the
outsides have been taken off. The purpose of the skeleton is something to hitch
meat to.
~ A permanent set of teeth consist of eight canines, eight cuspids, two molars,
and eight cuspidors.
~ The tides are a fight between the earth and moon. All water tends towards the
moon, because there is no water on the moon and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget
where the sun joins in this fight.
~ A fossil is an extinct animal. The older it is, the more extinct it is.
~ Germinate: To become a naturalized German.
~ Liter: A nest of young puppies.
~ Magnet: Something you find crawling all over a dead cat.
~ Momentum: What you give a person when they are going away.
~ Planet: A body of Earth surrounded by sky.
~ Rhubarb: A kind of celery gone bloodshot.
~ Vacuum: A large, empty space where the Pope lives.
~ Before giving a blood transfusion, find out if the blood is affirmative or
negative.
~ To remove dust from the eye, pull the eye down over the nose.
~ For a nosebleed, put the nose much lower than the body until the heart stops.
~ For dog bite put the dog away for several days. If he has not recovered, then
kill it.
~ For head cold use an agonizer to spray the nose until it drops in your throat.
~ To keep milk from turning sour, keep it in the cow.
============================
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him think very clearly.
=======================================
www.mikeysFunnies.com

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DAY

 The Jewish New Year 5774 begins this year on the evening of September 4th, and continues until sundown on September 6th.
Unlike most other holidays, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated for two days in both Israel and the diaspora. It is the joyous beginning of a period known as the Days of Awe. The two days of the New Year were described by Talmudic sages in Aramaic as "Yoma Arichtah", meaning, "one long day."

Click here to watch the video! 

How do we celebrate Rosh Hashanah?

Jews around the world will gather together with family and friends for a festive meal which includes a variety of delicious foods. Ashkenazi, or western European Jews enjoy apples and honey for a sweet year, wine for sanctification and a special round challah (plaited sweetbread eaten on the Sabbath) with raisins, another symbol of sweetness and the round nature of the year. Sephardic Jews, of Middle Eastern and Spanish origin, hold a traditional "Rosh Hashana Seder" which includes fruits such as dates and pomegranates as well as vegetables, including leek, beans, black eyed peas, spinach and beets. In both traditions a whole fish, including the head, symbolizing the "head of the year", is served as well.

At this festive meal the "Shechecheyanu" prayer is recited, in which we give thanks for new and different experiences. Many will attend synagogue in the evening to welcome the holiday, as well as the following morning. In the month of Elul, the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe, the shofar, the rams' horn, is sounded at morning services. It gives worshippers a moment of reflection. Penitential prayers known as "slichot" are also recited throughout that month.
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, many people perform the ritual of "Tashlich" - reciting prayers near a flowing body of water, casting out the crumbs and dust in their pockets into the water as a symbolic casting off of their sins.

Rosh Hashanah is a wonderful holiday filled with joy and celebration. Learn more about this holiday’s customs and history by watching our special “"How to celebrate Rosh Hashanah” video!

As always, we invite you to come join our Biblical Hebrew courses, to get a full picture of everything wonderful Israel has to offer!

 Shana Tova U'Metukah - Wishing you a happy and sweet new year!

Eli Eli Dahan, M.A
Eli_Dahan@eTeachergroup.com

About the video teacher

Eli completed his MA at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2007, focusing on Bible study. For the last two years, Eli has taught our Biblical Hebrew courses from levels A to D. He also writes our newsletter, our blogs and our articles on Biblical and Modern Hebrew. During the day, Eli teaches Bible, Jewish Philosophy and Mathematics at the Beit Hinuch high school in Jerusalem. He’s a homeroom teacher for eleventh grade students as well as the school's social coordinator, responsible for all the supplementary educational programs there. Eli is married and has three children; he likes to dance and hike the Israel Trail.

"ARE" VALUES OR "SHOULD" VALUES?

         

by Tim Woodroof on September 22, 2013

 

Churches can get caught between the "rock" of their ideals and aspirations and the "hard place" of custom, comfort zones, and expectations. This "between" spot makes churches vulnerable to confusion, paralysis, and conflict. An Example Church A believes the Great Commission (evangelism and witness) should be the primary value of the church. They preach on the subject a great deal. They want to be effective at reaching their neighbors and their community. But the church's facility is in a downtown location and the surrounding community has changed dramatically over the past twenty years. Economics have soured. The racial mix of the surrounding population has altered. English is no longer the primary language heard on the street. Yet, if you look at the way Church A actually operates, it seems barely conscious of these realities. The church's membership (and leadership!) is comprised of emphatically white, upper-middle-class, English speakers. Members drive to the church building from suburban homes. The problems of the urban environment are lamented more than engaged. There is no strategy for embracing and involving the people God brings to the church's door every day. Whether it realizes it or not, Church A is dying. Members have gradually, steadily leaked away. Budgets are under increasing pressure. Foreign missions have supplanted local outreach in an attempt to scratch the evangelistic itch — but that involvement is largely financial. There is a growing tension between a faction who wants to sell the building and relocate to the suburbs ("Then, maybe, we can get our church back!") and the faction that wants the church to stay, make a redemptive difference, and become a multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic congregation ("That's what it means to be the church!"). An Evaluation It is easy to blame the challenges faced by Church A on changing demographics, external circumstances, and the urban blight so common in our cities. When in fact, Church A has a values problem. They are encountering the very real difference between "Should" and "Are" values — values to which the church aspires and values that actually drive the way the church functions — values that serve as "goals" (things we should strive for) and values the church (or, at least, many of its members) truly cherishes and champions. Consider a handful of values that are probably present (and competing) in Church A:

"Should" Values	"Are" Values
"Go into all the world and preach..."	"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
Church is mission.	Church is people.
We love our neighbors as ourselves.	We love our church family.
We exist to "bear witness" to our faith.	We are best equipped to "bear witness" to people like us in culture, ethnicity, language.
Testimony results in changed lives.	"Changed lives" means them, not us.
Faith is a risky business.	We shouldn't "risk" the church God has formed in our past for an uncertain future.

The difference between these two columns is not defined primarily by "right" and "wrong." It is not a matter of "Should" values being right and godly while "Are" values are mistaken and unworthy. You might question one or two of the "Are" values listed above, but it's hard to deny that they are rooted in either biblical teachings or human nature. The prime difference between these two lists is what actually drives a church's behavior and decision-making. There is often a distinction between what a church claims to value and what, in fact, determines its actions. "Should" values are expressions of the church's conscience. "Are" values are expressions of the church's reality. Neither should be ignored. But, push-come-to-shove, "Are" values are a church's default. Unless they are "named" and deliberately challenged, they will continue to drive (and divide) a church regardless of its higher ideals. A Biblical Example  In the book of Acts, there are numerous examples of churches wrestling with "Should" and "Are" values. Perhaps the most compelling example is the shift from a Jewish church to a Gentile church.

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus (Acts 11:10-20).

Someone let the gospel cat out of the Jewish bag. Certain people talked to Gentiles about the good news. Barnabas and Saul went to work in Antioch ("...a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord" — Acts 11:21.). A Gentile church formed. And, as often happens in matters of faith, a conflict between "Should" and "Are" values arose.

Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses." The apostles and elders met to consider this question (Acts 15:5-6).

Consider a handful of values that were present (and competing) in the Jerusalem church:

"Should" Values	"Are" Values
God spoke through Jesus Christ.	God spoke to Moses and gave us the law.
The prophets say God loves the Gentiles.	God loves those who are obedient.
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus.	We are saved by faith and submission to law.
God accepts Gentiles by faith. (Cornelius)	Circumcision and kosher laws are important.

It is easy (in hindsight) to question the motives and even the faithfulness of those "believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees." We can't understand how they could ignore clear gospel values in favor of Moses. However, look closely at the values that were driving their side of the debate. These people had cut their spiritual teeth on Moses and the law. They'd lived their entire lives under, shaped their lives by, submission to God's commands given at Sinai. They believed in the power of faith, but they also believed in the authority of God's word. "Accepting" Gentiles without requiring obedience to the law was not a form of mercy: it was a form of condemnation. Peter, Paul, and James understood these values. In many ways, they shared them. But, for the sake of "Should," they challenged "Are." They called a meeting. They put the issues before the Jerusalem church. They listened to those who were driven by their allegiance to Moses and the law. They acknowledged how powerful and compelling those motives could be. They didn't kick anyone out of the church for arguing "Are" values. But they clearly and robustly came down on the side of "Should" values. The gospel was different from Moses. The gospel trumped Moses. And where the gospel and Moses came into conflict, it was their determination that higher values must rule. They gave their reasons. They made their case. Openly. Directly.

"We should not make it difficult for Gentiles who are turning to God" (Acts 15:10).

And they put this determination in writing (Acts 15:24-29). They signed it in Jerusalem (in the presence of the gathered church) and sent it to Antioch in the hands of reliable witnesses. Still (and this is an important point), "Are" values did not die easily. A commitment to Moses — however cogent the Apostles' reasoning, however clear the Apostles' decision — did not go away on the basis of a meeting and a letter. This issue (and the conflict between "Should" and "Are") dominated the agenda of the early church for the next thirty years. Evidence of the continuing tensions shows up later in Acts, in Paul's letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (to name just two), and in the epistles of Peter and James. Conclusion "Are" values steer a church's decisions and behavior — no matter what a church claims about "Should." Unless "Are" values can be named, challenged, refuted, and replaced, they will continue to determine the actions of the church. "Are" values are not always wrong, but they are often limited. "Are" values usually say more about us and our comfort zones than about God and his essential business. "Are" values invariably support the status quo rather than encouraging the church to create new skins to contain the new wine of the kingdom. The only way to address the "Are" values of a church, to champion "Should" values, involves leadership: wise, theologically astute, assertive, confident, Spirit-led leadership. "Are" values will never change without leaders who are willing — for the sake of the kingdom — to stand up and be counted. Yet before leaders are "counted," they need to do some "counting" of their own — counting the cost and recognizing the pain involved in challenging "Are" values. Churches can change, even in matters as central as values. Yet the change doesn't come easily. Leaders will pay a significant price in the attempt.

About the Author

Tim Woodroof has preached for almost thirty years. He and his wife, Julie, have been married for 33 years and have three children. Tim has focused on writing, speaking, consulting, and interim ministry over the last several years. He is lead partner for Interim Ministry Partners.

Tim Woodroof