A LIGHT DISTRACTION

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1–2

Your focus determines your impact.

Flight 401 was bound for Miami from New York City with a load of holiday passengers. As the huge aircraft approached the Miami Airport for its landing, a light that indicates proper deployment of the landing gear failed to come on. The plane flew in a large, looping circle over the swamps of the Everglades while the cockpit crew checked out the light failure. Their question was this, had the landing gear actually not deployed or was it just the light bulb that was defective?

To begin with, the flight engineer fiddled with the bulb. He tried to remove it, but it wouldn't budge. Another member of the crew tried to help out...and then another. By and by, if you can believe it, all eyes were on the little light bulb that refused to be dislodged from its socket. No one noticed that the plane was losing altitude. Finally, it dropped right into a swamp. Many were killed in that plane crash. While an experienced crew of high-priced and seasoned pilots messed around with a seventy-five-cent light bulb, an entire airplane and many of its passengers were lost.

Isn’t it amazing that in the midst of the situation, not one person felt the plane diving or saw it getting closer to the ground? I don’t know about you, but I would have been yelling and screaming for the pilot to focus on flying the plane rather than staring at the little light!

Many times I have focuses on little lights in my own life. Lights that truthful needed my attention but not all my attentions, lights such as work, calendars, agendas, critics, and even self. These little “lights” can draw your attention away form the true cause we have in this life,  As we start the this 2011 let us focus on the one who died and rose again for our redemption. Let us be God’s light to this lost and dying world.

For the Preacher

Preaching is not the performance of an hour. It is the outflow of a life. If the preacher grows, the sermons grow

ONE WHO FOLLOWED CHRIST

 

People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink, but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in, and for, us. I never made a sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk, when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father’s throne on high to give Himself for us

One hundred seventy years ago this month David Livingstone sailed for the continent of Africa.
Dr. David Livingston was a Scottish missionary, Doctor and renowned explore. He was a fighter of the slave trade , noting the poor testimony this was for Christianity.. Some recognize him as the greatest of all African missionaries, explorers, and antislavery advocates. Livingston's work in Africa opened up an estimated one million square miles of previously uncharted land. He also searched for the source of the Nile.

As I read the biography of Livingston this fall, I was struck by the appropriateness of the book’s subtitle: One who followed Christ. As a missionary-explorer, Livingstone’s life was spent carrying the Gospel into the deep interior of the dark continent of Africa.

Livingstone preached the Gospel in hundreds of African villages, and he saw some fruit from his labor. He couldn’t have known, however, of the fruit that would come in the generations to follow. The missionaries on African soil today are there largely because of the sacrifices Livingstone made to follow Christ through unknown paths, staggering on through fever, loneliness, and even abandonment.

The quote above is one of my favorite quotes by Livingstone is his thoughts on sacrifice for Christ. Every time I read it, it challenges me to complain less and give more:

* Book: David Livingston: One who followed Christ – By Louise Houghton

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Psalm 100

Psalm 100
 1.  Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
 2.  Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
 3.  Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
 4.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
 5.  For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

THANKFUL FOR SALVATION

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

1 John 1

Undeniably the biggest blessing God's given to all of us is salvation. In this thanksgiving season I know at the top of my list of things I am thankful for is my salvation. In the fall of 1984 God sent his sweet Holy Spirit down to beckon my soul to the Cross and accept His son’s free and perfect gift of redemption . On that day I did not know what all that meant , but the more I read and grow in the Lord the more I understand why  Paul said “I thank my God for his unspeakable gift .”

If you've been in church any length of time, you've heard that salvation is the most important life decision you'll ever make. But step back and think about the provision of salvation for a minute.

 God sent His only Son to die for your sins, if that isn’t love. No matter how often you hear the story or think about Christ's death, you cannot get over the fact that were it not for Jesus' sacrifice, your life would be hopeless and aimless. Were it not for salvation, you would be wandering through life without a real purpose.

Aren't you thankful that Jesus willingly suffered the Cross for you? Imagine your life without God. What would you be doing? What would your life's craving be? What would you have to look forward to? God truly provided the greatest blessing of all when He provided salvation through His Son.

Since we realize that salvation is the most important decision someone will ever make, we truly  want our friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers to make that decision as well? While you can't force them into salvation, you can live a godly life, exhibit a Christ-like testimony, and share God's plan of salvation with them.

As John says, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full" (1 John 1:3-4). Share God's salvation with others so they can experience the joys you know through Christ.

Christian, don't allow this week go  quickly  by without stopping to reflect on the basis for your thankfulness-God's free gift of salvation. Without salvation, you have no reason to be thankful. But with salvation, you have forgiveness for the past, guidance for today, and hope for the future. In this we find the true joy to be thankful in all things. I am truly thankful for my Saviour and his gift of salvation

Pastor's Perception: BEHAVIOR AND BELIEF

Pastor's Perception: BEHAVIOR AND BELIEF: "Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. On three or more occasion of sharing the Gospel the person has respo..."

BEHAVIOR AND BELIEF

Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

On three or more occasion of sharing the Gospel the person has responded with the question “Do all Christians believe that?”  (Jesus is the only way to Heaven) How do you know if you really believe something is true? Is it because you say you believe it? Or is it because you are gripped with its reality to the point that it changes your behavior?

The Gospel  is so incredible , that to the lost world if Jesus truly died for our sins was buried  then resurrected and we are looking for his soon return our action , attitude and agendas should  reflect that . –Do all Christians believe that??

Is Hell real? Do I act as if I know people there today and the people I meet could be there tomorrow? Many time we are hindered by fear of individuals who oppose  the straight forward approach , but why let those who are not doing it at all tell us how to evangelize  souls ?

Jesus is our example. He was at it daily, at every encounter and at every season. Why? because he knew Hell was real and time was limited. His last command was Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Thos three dear people did not trust Christ as their Saviour as far as I know , but I’ve thought of there  question a thousand times since: “Do you really believe that?” With nearly seven billion people in the world—over half of whom have never once heard the Gospel—I’m not sure we are in a good position to answer there question.

If beliefs determine behavior, how would our behavior change if we really did believe that everyone who trusts Christ will spend eternity in Heaven and everyone who doesn’t will spend eternity in Hell? What would we do differently if we were gripped with the reality of eternal souls and Christ’s offer of salvation?  

Matt 28: 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

 18.  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 19.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 20.  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.