Just sharing.

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Whatever Happened To The Gospel Of Repentance And Faith?


What’s changed in the proclamation of the gospel in the last hundred years or so? It’s the presentation of the gospel that’s changed.
Come into my Heart
What’s happened to the presentation of the gospel? Where have repentance and faith gone? What about Jesus’ saying, “whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt 16:25). Jesus did not come to give you or me a more fulfilling life; He demands our life! If we live for ourselves, we’re dead to Christ, but if we’re dead to self, then we’re alive to Christ. Jesus said, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). I’ve heard the phrase, “Let Jesus come into your heart” a few times, but exactly what does that mean?

I’m not sure Jesus would like my heart since Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it” (Jer 17:9)? Besides, Jesus doesn’t only want our hearts…He demands our life and that we seek Him and His righteousness above all things (Matt 6:33). We must die to ourselves before we can live for Christ, so a plea to sinner to “Let Jesus come into your heart” is neither biblical nor effective.

Jesus Loves You
Yes, Jesus loves you, but He is also asking you to repent and believe (Mark 1:14-15). The saying “the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man” is not found in the Bible. Whoever is not of Christ is not a child of the Father. You are either for Him or against Him (Matt 12:30). There is no neutrality with Jesus, so to simply walk up to people and proclaim, “Jesus loves you” or “God loves you” is never going to bring about the knowledge that they are sinners and they need the Savior. Yes, God is love, but He is also holy, and dwelling on only one attribute can be to the others.

You cannot separate one attribute from another. The only attribute of God that’s mentioned three times is that He is “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That is the greatest emphasis possible in Jewish literature. One man walked around the park with a sign that said, “Jesus loves you.” Well, that’s nice, but a lot of people would answer, “Well, my wife loves me too and so do my children and my mom.” Can you imagine Jesus or Paul going up to the Pharisees, Scribes or lawyers and say, “I love you?”

Accept Jesus
Many years ago when I was saved, maybe I said, “I have accepted Jesus,” but a few years later I thought, “Does Jesus really need my acceptance?” I would be more concerned about Jesus accepting me! It sounds a bit condescending to Christ to say, “I have decided to accept You, Jesus,” almost as if He needed our acceptance before we could be saved; almost as if we’re saying, “He needs me to accept Him in order more for me to saved, so I guess I’ll just have to accept Him.” If we had to “accept” anything, it was the fact that we sinner in the hands of an angry God, and that our sins had separated us from Him, so we must put our trust in Christ, not accept Him. Actually, He is the One Who grants repentance (2 Tim 2:25) and draws us to Christ (John6:44), and we only love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Give Your Heart to Jesus
There is the phrase, “I have given my heart to Jesus,” and I’m not sure where it came from, but it somewhat recent. I know people are saved by donating organs, but what does it mean to say, “Give your heart to Jesus.” Once more, Jesus doesn’t want one part alone…He wants all of us. I realize this is a common expression, but God is the one Who quickens the dead, not the dead quickening themselves (Eph 2:1-4), so we cannot give anything to God, particularly our heart, until God quickens us to eternal life by His Spirit. It’s not about giving our heart; it’s about what God gave (John 3:16).

Don’t Lose Heart. You’re Awesome
Don’t Lose Heart. You’re Awesome. This was on a church sign and it just struck me as wrong. Only God is awesome. In fact, the word awesome should only be reserved for God Himself. No, I am not awesome. I would only say that I am awful…a wretch and not deserving to be saved. The truth is, there is not one that is righteous, and not even the one who thinks he’s the exception (Rom 3:10). There are none that do good (Rom 3:12). I’m awesome? Really!? It’s a nice pithy statement, but I’d like to see the chapter and verse for that one.

The Sinner’s Prayer
God alone saves, so salvation does not come by repeating a sinner’s prayer. Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved (Acts 4:12), and God is the one Who draws people to Christ (John 6:44), and even though He may use this prayer as a means to save someone, it’s not the prayer itself that saves anyone. It takes the Word of God with the Spirit of God to create the children of God. If you are repeating a sinners prayer or even filling out a decision card (not biblical either), you may be giving someone false assurance or creating a pseudo conversion. Even walking the isle doesn’t save you. Again, God alone saves (Acts 16:30-31). When someone asks what they must do to be saved, we don’t say, “Here, fill out this decision card, walk the isle or repeat this sinners prayer.” Jesus says we must repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:14-15).

Conclusion
In the last century or so, the church has become more seeker sensitive, but until we tell people the bad news about sin, judgment, and God’s wrath upon the unrepentant, they’ll never see the importance of God’s mercy. His mercy is only relevant until His wrath is revealed. That makes Christ’s atonement all the more precious. It is only through Christ that we can be seen as having His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). Until a person sees that they’ve got the death penalty hanging over their head, they will never seek the Advocate (1 John 2:1).

You cannot preach the gospel without preaching about repentance, just as John the Baptist said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2). The Holy Spirit convicted the consciences of those who were witnesses of and responsible for Jesus’ being crucified. The Apostle Peter said, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). When Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry, He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15). You cannot leave out repentance and faith when presenting Christ. In fact, conversion cannot occur apart from the Holy Spirit and the presence of both faith and repentance. That He is “mighty to save” (Zeph 3:17), is mighty good news.

 

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More Good news! Christ is Coming Again! "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.' All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. Isaiah 45:22-24 NIV __________________ Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. I, the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. Isaiah 42:1,4,6,7 KJV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench.”

Matthew 12:20

What is weaker than the bruised reed or the smoking flax? A reed that groweth in the fen or marsh, let but the wild duck light upon it, and it snaps; let but the foot of man brush against it, and it is bruised and broken; every wind that flits across the river moves it to and fro. You can conceive of nothing more frail or brittle, or whose existence is more in jeopardy, than a bruised reed. Then look at the smoking flax — what is it? It has a spark within it, it is true, but it is almost smothered; an infant's breath might blow it out; nothing has a more precarious existence than its flame.

Weak things are here described, yet Jesus says of them, “The smoking flax I will not quench; the bruised reed I will not break.” Some of God's children are made strong to do mighty works for him; God has his Samsons here and there who can pull up Gaza's gates, and carry them to the top of the hill; he has a few mighties who are lion-like men, but the majority of his people are a timid, trembling race. They are like starlings, frightened at every passer by; a little fearful flock. If temptation comes, they are taken like birds in a snare; if trial threatens, they are ready to faint; their frail skiff is tossed up and down by every wave, they are drifted along like a sea bird on the crest of the billows — weak things, without strength, without wisdom, without foresight.

Yet, weak as they are, and because they are so weak, they have this promise made specially to them. Herein is grace and graciousness! Herein is love and lovingkindness! How it opens to us the compassion of Jesus—so gentle, tender, considerate! We need never shrink back from his touch. We need never fear a harsh word from him; though he might well chide us for our weakness, he rebuketh not. Bruised reeds shall have no blows from him, and the smoking flax no damping frowns.

 

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I’m Saved, So Why Do I Still Keep Sinning?


Why do some believer’s struggle with overcoming sin more than others? Why do we keep sinning after salvation?
Our Nature
It is human nature for us to sin. If you took a fish out of the water, they’d be out of their environment because they’re not capable of surviving without being submerged in water. That’s the way fish were created, so it’s their nature, but it’s also our nature to sin, even when we know what it’s wrong. After a person is brought to repentance (2 Tim 2:25-26) and faith in Christ, they still have part of their old nature still living in them, as I do, but Christians are not alone. Some of the greatest figures in the Bible struggled with obedience, even after they knew God, so it’s a struggle that’s common to all of us, and not just believers. For many, that’s somehow comforting. The Bible tells us the truth about human nature and shows us the heroes of the faith, warts and all.

The Bible doesn’t hide the fact that some of the greatest biblical figures we know have committed some of the worst sins there are. King David is a great example, but God granted forgiveness as we see in what may be the greatest prayer of repentance in the Bible (Psalm 51). His guilt was “ever before him,” so he couldn’t help but cry out to God for His forgiveness, and God was merciful. Just as Jesus said, “he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47), so those who are forgiven much are loved much. Even after David committed adultery with his wife and conspired to have Uriah murdered, David was later called a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).

The Struggle
I believe if someone is concerned that they’re still sinning, at least they care enough about to be concerned. That’s a good thing. For one, it’s an honest assessment of us all (Rom 3:23, 1 John 1:8, 10). We all sin, even after conversion, but if there’s a struggle to live an obedient life, at least the Holy Spirit is working in that person’s life. I would be more concerned if they were still sinning and not giving it a second thought. When someone is concerned that they are still sinning after being saved, it’s comforting to me, in a strange sort of way, because at least I know I’m not alone in this struggle. The Bible is full of people who struggled with sin. The Apostle Paul said, “I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (Rom 7:18), and who among us doesn’t wrestle with this? Paul desired to do the right thing but didn’t always do it. Welcome to the club. For the body of Christ, which still has sinners and yet saints, that’s the paradox of it. It’s called sanctification…or growing in holiness. We are still very capable of sinning, but at least we strive to avoid it. We are saved from sin but still fall into sin.

The difference might be we don’t dive in and swim around in it like we did before conversion. We fall and get back up, but God expects us to fall. He knows our nature as only our Creator would. Solomon acknowledged that “the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Prov 24:16), so even “though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand” (Psalm 37:24). We will never be sinless this side of the veil, but we should be sinning less…over time, and it should be noticeable to others and ourselves after a set amount of time, however each of us grow in holiness at different rates. I’m not sure why, but some struggle more than others, but there’s strength in the struggle. At least you’re in the fight and resisting the Devil, otherwise you couldn’t care less about sin, and that’s not the heart of a believer (1 John 3).

Expect It
The Apostle Paul preaching in Athens. Raphael, 1515
If you are expecting to be sinless after salvation, you need to read the Bible. Sorry if that seems blunt, but we had one man come to our church and say he was bothered by people praying for forgiveness. He said, “I’m no longer a sinner.” I asked, “Do you still sin?” He said, “Yes, but I am not called a sinner anymore.” I said, “Yes, we’re now called saints, but we still sin…all of us” (1 Kings 8:46; 1 John 1:8, 10). He finally told our elder that he was leaving because he didn’t like asking for forgiveness all the time. I wonder how that works at home with his wife. By the same reasoning he’s using, I supposed he doesn’t need forgiveness anymore in his marriage…or among his friends…or anywhere since he doesn’t sin anymore.

I can tell you from experience, that’s not going to turn out well in a marriage or in a relationship. Even the spiritual giant, the Apostle Paul, declared himself to be the foremost of sinners (1 Tim 1:15), writing, “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Cor 15:9), but hey, we’re all unworthy. Paul knew that. It is only because of Christ that we can be declared righteousness in God’s sight (2 Cor 5:21), but everyone will still sin, even after conversion. If they say they don’t sin anymore (like one man told me), I ask, “Why you aren’t in heaven then?”

Conclusion
The Apostle John wrote, “Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister” (1 John 3:10b), and “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him” (1 John 3:15). He adds that, “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6), because “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning” (1 John 3:8a). Notice he said, they “practice…sinning,” meaning it’s a regular custom or routine for them.

He’s not referring to believers because John knows they (and I) will still sin (1 John 1:8, 10), but they don’t make a practice of it. If you play sports, you practice sport, and that means you intentionally practice over periods of time, practicing again and again, but Christians are not to sin intentionally, and even though they (and I) do, they repent of that and confess it to God and try to resist the same temptation next time. That’s not the case with the lost. We all fall short, and not one of us are good in and of ourselves (Rom 3:10-12), but the good news is, we are saved by a very good God.

 

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He will rule in glory! He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. Psalm 72:8,11,17,19 NIV __________________ It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:2-4 RSV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor?”

Jeremiah 2:18

By sundry miracles, by divers mercies, by strange deliverances Jehovah had proved himself to be worthy of Israel's trust. Yet they broke down the hedges with which God had enclosed them as a sacred garden; they forsook their own true and living God, and followed after false gods. Constantly did the Lord reprove them for this infatuation, and our text contains one instance of God's expostulating with them, “What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of the muddy river?” — for so it may be translated. “Why dost thou wander afar and leave thine own cool stream from Lebanon? Why dost thou forsake Jerusalem to turn aside to Noph and to Tahapanes? Why art thou so strangely set on mischief, that thou canst not be content with the good and healthful, but wouldst follow after that which is evil and deceitful?”

Is there not here a word of expostulation and warning to the Christian? O true believer, called by grace and washed in the precious blood of Jesus, thou hast tasted of better drink than the muddy river of this world's pleasure can give thee; thou hast had fellowship with Christ; thou hast obtained the joy of seeing Jesus, and leaning thine head upon his bosom. Do the trifles, the songs, the honours, the merriment of this earth content thee after that? Hast thou eaten the bread of angels, and canst thou live on husks?

Good Rutherford once said, “I have tasted of Christ's own manna, and it hath put my mouth out of taste for the brown bread of this world's joys.” Methinks it should be so with thee. If thou art wandering after the waters of Egypt, O return quickly to the one living fountain: the waters of Sihor may be sweet to the Egyptians, but they will prove only bitterness to thee. What hast thou to do with them? Jesus asks thee this question this evening—what wilt thou answer him?

 

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How Confident Are You In Your Salvation?



Have you ever doubted your own salvation? Has doubt crept into your mind about your being saved or not? Here is how you can have confidence in salvation.
Saved From What?
Today, hundreds of believer’s live in fear…fear of losing what they could not gain, and that being eternal life, but when we put our trust in Christ, we are secure in Him and we are saved, but saved from what? We are actually saved from God Himself! Yes, saved from God, but more specifically, we are saved from “the wrath of God [which] is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom 1:18), “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs” (Psalm 75:8), but that’s why it’s called the good news because when “we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10), so we are not simply saved from eternal death in hell fire alone, but we are saved from the wrath of God which was poured out on Christ for our sake (Rom 5:1).

Is it Biblical to Fall Away?
I do not like the term “once saved, always saved” because that seems presumptuous of God’s mercy. I would rather call it the perseverance of the saints, even though it’s actually God’s preserving of the saints. Far too many believe that a person can be saved, but not stay saved, believing you can lose your salvation. What a fearful thing…one day to believe that they are saved and then the next day, fear they’re lost, but there are so many Bible verses that I can turn to that prove otherwise. Time and space limit me to only a select few, but these are certainly convincing.

Paul was confident in his salvation, and so were the apostles, but some passages just seem to trouble us. One is in Hebrews 6:4-6 which says “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” What’s important to note is that it says they have “shared in the Holy Spirit” or “tasted of the powers of the age,” and yet did not receive the Holy Spirit. It does not appear that the writer is speaking to believers since many of the Jews were turning back to the Old Testament laws.

Tasting the Goodness of God
The Book of Hebrews was written to a Jewish audience and naturally, not every one of them was saved any more than everyone in the church today is saved, so there are tares (false converts) growing up alongside the wheat (Christians). The Book of Hebrews is about the supremacy of Christ, a once-for-all sacrifice that is superior to the Old Covenant sacrifices that had to be continually offered, but could never take away sin, but even if Hebrews 6:4-6 were written to Christians, the writer seems confident of their being saved as he writes, “we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation” (Heb 6:9). When he says, “in your case,” he is contrasting it to those who have only “shared” or tasted of “the Holy Spirit.” The author says he feels “sure of better things – things that belong to salvation.” It is sad that Hebrews 6:4-6 has needlessly troubled so many, but they are lifting a few verses out of the text and not looking at the full context. If they do this, they simply cannot understand what this chapter is really saying. Text taken out of context makes a pretext, and usually a false one.

Full Assurance
If the writer of Hebrews was saying that they could be saved and then fall away, then why does he later write in this same chapter that “God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end” (Heb 6:10-11)? Note that he speaks of “the full assurance of hope until the end” and calls them saints in the present tense, so it’s clear that they’re saints in the present tense because they have been “serving the saints,” and not saints who had better be careful and not lose what they could not gain. Clearly, unsaved people don’t serve the saints.

It’s important to note that all Scripture is written for believers but not all Scripture is written specifically to believers. For example God said that the Sabbath is a “sign to you” between Him and Israel, but this does not mean that it is a sign to us today. Paul never feared losing salvation, but rather he endured severe persecution for his trust in Christ, and yet could say with assurance, that this was “why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Tim 1:12). God is able to guard us against that day, or the Day of Judgment, but if it were up to me to guard it, I really would be worried.

Conclusion
Can you imagine trying to share the gospel with someone and telling them that if they repent and believe the gospel, they will be saved…if they don’t blow it? Or, “If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved, unless you fall away, then you’re hopelessly lost.” To tell someone they can be saved but then, “Hold on for dear life” gives the wrong message. God holds onto us, and not we onto Him (John 10:28-29). When my child and I cross the street, I don’t leave it up to him to hang on tight to my hand. I’m the one holding onto his hand tightly.

The gospel is robbed of its power to save if it’s something that they believe they can lose. It’s like, Jesus gives them eternal life, but if they’re not careful, they’ll lose it, but then comes the question, “Was it really eternal life if they lost it?” If they left the faith, perhaps they were never really in the faith (1 John 2:19). Romans 1:16 and 1 Corinthians 1:18 tell us where the power lies in our salvation, and it’s not in us. Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom 1:16), and “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18).

 

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Our God Reigns! Christ is Coming Again! To establish His eternal kingdom... On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine-- the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations Isaiah 25:6,7 NIV __________________ And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. Malachi 3:3,4 KJV __________________ How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, Your God reigns! Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, They shout joyfully together; For they will see with their own eyes When the LORD restores Zion. Isaiah 52:7,8 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Why go I mourning?”

Psalm 42:9

Canst thou answer this, believer? Canst thou find any reason why thou art so often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why yield to gloomy anticipations? Who told thee that the night would never end in day? Who told thee that the sea of circumstances would ebb out till there should be nothing left but long leagues of the m&d of horrible poverty? Who told thee that the winter of thy discontent would proceed from frost to frost, from snow, and ice, and hail, to deeper snow, and yet more heavy tempest of despair?

Knowest thou not that day follows night, that flood comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter? Hope thou then! Hope thou ever! For God fails thee not. Dost thou not know that thy God loves thee in the midst of all this? Mountains, when in darkness hidden, are as real as in day, and God's love is as true to thee now as it was in thy brightest moments. No father chastens always: thy Lord hates the rod as much as thou dost; he only cares to use it for that reason which should make thee willing to receive it, namely, that it works thy lasting good.

Thou shalt yet climb Jacob's ladder with the angels, and behold him who sits at the top of it—thy covenant God. Thou shalt yet, amidst the splendours of eternity, forget the trials of time, or only remember them to bless the God who led thee through them, and wrought thy lasting good by them. Come, sing in the midst of tribulation. Rejoice even while passing through the furnace. Make the wilderness to blossom like the rose! Cause the desert to ring with thine exulting joys, for these light afflictions will soon be over, and then “for ever with the Lord,” thy bliss shall never wane.

“Faint not nor fear, his arms are near,
He changeth not, and thou art dear;
Only believe and thou shalt see,
That Christ is all in all to thee.”

 

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Another Way to Win


Kay Poe and Esther Kim have been best friends since they were seven years old. Among other things they have in common, the two young ladies from Houston both compete at the highest levels in taekwondo. How good are they? Esther and Kay advanced to the finals in the Women's Olympic Flyweight division at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on May 20 in Colorado Springs.

"I don't think of her as just a friend. I think of her more as a sister," Kay says. "We've grown up together, and we always push each other and help each other out the best we can training wise." What a story was unfolding! Reporters and photographers were poised to record the outcome of so intense a competition between two girls who have been close for so long. But a sports story would soon be overshadowed by a far more important friendship story.

Kay had dislocated her left kneecap in her semi-final match of the round robin tournament. Though ranked number one in the world at her sport, it was questionable that she could compete against her best friend. She could barely stand, so it was a foregone conclusion that Esther would win, travel to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, and represent the United States in the international competition these two had trained and worked toward for so long.

On the day of the match, Esther Kim shocked the crowd by forfeiting rather than defeat her friend in an unfair competition. In allowing the better taekwondo fighter to represent the United States in Sydney, she won a personal battle over ego and selfishness. Amidst frequent stories of cheating and taking unfair advantage in order to win at any price, Esther showed how to win by losing.

"Even though I didn't have the gold medal around me," said Esther, "for the first time in my life, I felt like a real champion." Her generosity of spirit was honored with the Citizenship Through Sports Award and with an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2000 Olympic Games from the International Olympic Committee.

In the Bible, Paul wrote about giving up certain "rights" for the sake of people he loved (see 1 Corinthians 9:1-15). Parents do it all the time for their children. And occasionally friends make magnanimous gestures like Esther's.

The next time you are inclined to bemoan the selfishness of the masses, recall this story of a twenty-year-old athlete's largess. The next time you have the chance to show magnanimity, let it inspire you to rise to the level of her example.

 

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Lo! I come! Christ is Coming Again! Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. "Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your sons from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor. "Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Isaiah 60:3, 8-10 NIV __________________ And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14 KJV __________________ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come and I will dwell in the midst of you, says the LORD. And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. Zechariah 2:10,11 RSV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Behold the man!”

John 19:5

If there be one place where our Lord Jesus most fully becomes the joy and comfort of his people, it is where he plunged deepest into the depths of woe. Come hither, gracious souls, and behold the man in the garden of Gethsemane; behold his heart so brimming with love that he cannot hold it in — so full of sorrow that it must find a vent. Behold the bloody sweat as it distils from every pore of his body, and falls upon the ground. Behold the man as they drive the nails into his hands and feet.

Look up, repenting sinners, and see the sorrowful image of your suffering Lord. Mark him, as the ruby drops stand on the thorn-crown, and adorn with priceless gems the diadem of the King of Misery. Behold the man when all his bones are out of joint, and he is poured out like water and brought into the dust of death; God hath forsaken him, and hell compasseth him about. Behold and see, was there ever sorrow like unto his sorrow that is done unto him? All ye that pass by draw near and look upon this spectacle of grief, unique, unparalleled, a wonder to men and angels, a prodigy unmatched.

Behold the Emperor of Woe who had no equal or rival in his agonies! Gaze upon him, ye mourners, for if there be not consolation in a crucified Christ there is no joy in earth or heaven. If in the ransom price of his blood there be not hope, ye harps of heaven, there is no joy in you, and the right hand of God shall know no pleasures for evermore. We have only to sit more continually at the cross foot to be less troubled with our doubts and woes. We have but to see his sorrows, and our sorrows we shall be ashamed to mention. We have but to gaze into his wounds and heal our own. If we would live aright it must be by the contemplation of his death; if we would rise to dignity, it must be by considering his humiliation and his sorrow.

 

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What Advertisers Know About Your Body!




Do you have a "most embarrassing moment"? I sure do.

I once stood outside the driver?s side of my minivan, the door wide open, while I bent over the seat to reach my stuff inside. It was a loooong reach. As I turned to slam the door shut with my arms loaded, I noticed a guy sitting in his car right beside me with his jaw dropped so low that his mouth looked like the Grand Canyon. His face was red when I caught him staring.

That?s when the draft hit me -- a cool spring breeze announcing to me that the hem of my skirt was wrapped around my waist, and my underwear was the featured view. You can guess who was blushing now! I was on the way to my high-paying, high-profile, fast-paced advertising agency when that happened several years ago. Okay, so it wasn?t high-paying or high-profile. It was fast-paced. And it was also intriguing. I learned some of the amazing tricks that advertisers use to control your pocketbook . . . and your mind. Most interesting to me was the power of your body. (Yes, I did say your body.)

Got a few minutes? Let?s talk, Girlfriend!

Lesson No. 1: Your Body = Power Advertising researchers have actually attached little wires to reader?s eyeballs to follow the visual path and figure out what makes someone spend time reading an ad, increasing an advertiser?s chance of sales! Crazy, huh? They?ve discovered lots of little tricks that will increase the viewing time by one percent... two percent ... maybe three percent. But if you really want to stop the reader, use a woman!

I?ve heard different numbers, but it seems a photo of a woman will increase the length of time someone spends with an ad by anywhere from 14 percent to 30 percent. Waaaaay more than anything else!

That?s what first made me think about the incredible alluring power of the female body. And guess what ? God?s Word affirms that power! I?d like you to hear it from a guy?s perspective. Here?s my husband, Bob.

Bob Says:
God knew what He was doing when He created you. He originally created woman to complete and finish man. Check it out! In Genesis 2:18, God Himself says, "It is not good for man to be alone."

Alone? The God of the universe was walking and talking with Adam. How could he have been alone? God could have easily filled the void in Adam. He didn?t. Instead, He crafted a masterpiece ? woman! You are one of those masterpieces! And you?ve been given all of the power of a masterpiece that is worthy of every glance you receive.

Given the purpose, it?s not a stretch to believe that our carefully crafted and curved bodies create quite a stir in guys. A girl?s body really drives a guy crazy.

According to God, there should be one catch to all that craziness. Check out Proverbs 5:18-19 where it tells a man to "rejoice in the wife of your youth... may you be ever captivated by her love."

The word captivated would be better translated "intoxicated" since that?s what the Hebrew writer was trying to say. Imagine this: Your husband filled with a holy drunken stupor at your presence. That?s what God wants for you one day if His plan for you includes marriage.

But there?s a catch. Notice the earlier part of the verse where it says, "the wife." In other words, one woman. Again and again the Bible reconfirms that this intoxication is only to be shared with one guy ? and after you?re married.

Until then, it?s under wraps ... a secret to be shared with your husband. As you might have noticed, girls today aren?t the best secret keepers. They flaunt their bodies in hip-huggers complemented by belly rings, miniskirts matched to high heels, tight shirts to go with tighter pants and ... well, I could go on.

But, wait! you?re thinking. That?s just today?s fashion!


Lesson No. 2: Showing Less Controls More


Let me tell you about the Gestalt Theory! (Warning: College-level brain food ahead!) The Gestalt Theory teaches a graphic designer to control a viewer?s time by forcing him or her to mentally complete a visual image. Because the brain is intrigued by completing the incomplete, it will always pause to finish an unfinished picture.

How do you think this theory works when a girl walks down the street in front of a guy wearing a tight shirt with her belly bared? Yikes! You really need a guy?s perspective on this. So here?s Bob again.


Bob Says:
It?s much more tempting for a guy to see a girl dressed in today?s skimpy fashion than it would be to see her naked. Does that astound you? It?s true. A Christian couple I know recently flew to France for vacation. At one point, this pair unwittingly stayed in a hotel next to a nude beach. It wasn?t tempting at all. In fact, my friend was rather grossed out. There was nothing left to the imagination ... which is the most tempting part of immodesty. The control comes from the unfinished picture and the imagination that it takes to complete it. If a guy sees a girl walking around in tight clothes, a miniskirt or short shorts, you might as well hang a noose around the neck of his spiritual life. To us, this is not "just fashion." It?s a constant source of spiritual failure. Have some mercy!


I have a confession to make. That day my skirt tried to strangle me, I?d created my most embarrassing moment. My skirt was too short and too tight, but I really thought it was "just fashion" that made me look good. Though I didn?t struggle with immodesty before I was married, I did find myself falling prey to fashion?s whims after I was out from under my parents? watchful eyes. I know how hard this is.

Sometimes I walk through a mall or along a crowded sidewalk and see heads turning toward a girl who?s dressed like Britney Spears.

And ... are you ready for this true confession ... I wish it was me turning those heads! Don?t you feel that way sometimes? We ache to be noticed and adored. That?s where knowing these advertising tricks could get dangerous. I know that you could abuse the power of showing less to control more. Please don?t do that. I think you?ll miss the truth behind the power of your body if you do what we find in lesson number three.

Lesson No. 3: Perceived Value Increases Worth In the early days of our marketing business, we designed company logos for approximately $1,250. One day, because we were concerned with how time-consuming the logos were, we hiked our prices up... to $8,000. We expected to have far less logo work to do, but instead, we had more! It was the perceived higher value that drove the demand and the worth of the project. When clients perceived that this project required not only a great deal of financial investment but also a patient investment of time, they wanted it badly.

The same principle is at work when you dress either immodestly or modestly. Immodesty removes the obstacles and invites any guy to desire you in his mind. It?s a cheap thrill requiring no investment on his part. It offers him the power of your body at his control.

Modesty protects the true secret of your body for one man, requiring him to invest time, romance and passion into your life in order to one day enjoy your allure. It invites a guy to earn your virtuosity.

No matter how much temporary attention immodesty may gain you, it will never equal the thrill of passion that follows a life protected by the power of modesty. Does it mean you?ll be less attractive? On the contrary. (I?ll never figure out a guy?s mind.) Again, I give you Bob.


Bob Says: When we were dating, Dannah presented herself with impeccable modesty. It didn?t dampen my desire for her. In fact, it fueled it. She could?ve worn a burlap sack, and I?d have been attracted to her. I can?t explain it, but a guy yearns most for what he can?t have. Because Dannah did not freely give herself, I desired to earn her.


Admit it. You want to be desired! Me, too. The question is: Will you be desired by guys looking for a cheap thrill in their minds? Or will you be romantically and passionately pursued because your modesty demands it?


Modesty is the first line of defense for your purity. When a guy perceives that this has been protected, he?ll rise to romance you and earn your heart. It may not happen for a few years, but the best things in life are worth the wait. And that?s it, my lessons in modesty from the world of advertising.

Hey, speaking of advertising, Philippians 4:5 says, "Let your modesty be known to all!" Advertise that!



What Are You Advertising?
So what?s a girl to do with all the "just fashion" mentality that advertisers carefully toss her way? I recommend you start in your closet. Why not take inventory of your wardrobe today? Do this with a friend. It?s as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Make three piles. One is the "Cheap Thrills Pile." In this pile, you?ll toss all the clothes you?ve been wearing that invite a guy to complete the picture of your body in his mind. This includes anything that shows too much skin, such as short shorts or shirts and low shirts or pants -- as well as anything that shows too much shape -- tight sweaters, jeans or T-shirts. Ceremonially trash these with your friend!

2. The second pile is your "Power Pile." In this one, put anything that actually hides the secrets of your alluring body in a fashionable and comfortable manner. These go back into your closet and drawers. These items make up a part of your high price tag that will require one man to pay a high price to earn your heart.

3. The final pile? That?s your "Fuzzy Friend" pile. You?re a bit "fuzzy" on these items. They could go either way, so you?re going to ask your friend to make the decision for you. Whatever she says goes. Don?t compromise. (And by the way ... moms and dads make great friends for this project!)

 

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A Glorious Kingdom Christ is Coming Again! A Glorious Kingdom without End... And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever. Daniel 2:44 RSV __________________ "In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name," declares the LORD, who will do these things. Amos 9:11,12 NIV __________________ For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. Malachi 1:11 KJV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

1 John 1:7

“Cleanseth,” says the text — not “shall cleanse.” There are multitudes who think that as a dying hope they may look forward to pardon. Oh! how infinitely better to have cleansing now than to depend on the bare possibility of forgiveness when I come to die. Some imagine that a sense of pardon is an attainment only obtainable after many years of Christian experience. But forgiveness of sin is a present thing — a privilege for this day, a joy for this very hour. The moment a sinner trusts Jesus he is fully forgiven.

The text, being written in the present tense, also indicates continuance; it was “cleanseth” yesterday, it is “cleanseth” to-day, it will be “cleanseth” tomorrow: it will be always so with you, Christian, until you cross the river; every hour you may come to this fountain, for it cleanseth still. Notice, likewise, the completeness of the cleansing, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” — not only from sin, but “from all sin.” Reader, I cannot tell you the exceeding sweetness of this word, but I pray God the Holy Ghost to give you a taste of it. Manifold are our sins against God.

Whether the bill be little or great, the same receipt can discharge one as the other. The blood of Jesus Christ is as blessed and divine a payment for the transgressions of blaspheming Peter as for the shortcomings of loving John; our iniquity is gone, all gone at once, and all gone for ever. Blessed completeness! What a sweet theme to dwell upon as one gives himself to sleep.

“Sins against a holy God;
Sins against his righteous laws;
Sins against his love, his blood;
Sins against his name and cause;
Sins immense as is the sea-
From them all he cleanseth me.”

 

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WHEN DADDY DIED


Filled with the frenetic restlessness of my 14 years, I impatiently stood in my parents? kitchen listening to the drone of their conversation. "Hurry up, hurry up," was my sole thought as I beat an accompanying tap with my foot. The city bus would be arriving at the corner stop any minute and I was tired of listening to chatter about doctor's appointments and chest pain and shortness of breath. My main goal was to get to school on time and to avoid a detention slip.
I couldn't wait any longer.

"Bye, Pop," I called out. Totally out of character, my father was lying in bed while I tore through the house grabbing my jacket, lunch, and bus fare. Mother was making Daddy a cup of tea when I hesitated at the door. It was the first time in my life that I could remember not kissing him good-bye. Oh, well. No time for a kiss today. Nosiree. Gotta go. My friends were waiting. He'll be here this afternoon. I'll kiss him then.

Besides, Daddy, at age 54, was a strapping 5'11. He was a railroad engineer working long, unorthodox hours on his daily train routes. He led the life of the rails, playing cards at the station house with the rest of the crew until his next "run." Sure, he smoked unfiltered Camel cigarettes, but who didn't in 1964? He was usually the first one on the dance floor, whirling my mother around in a dizzying polka, stopping long enough to quench his thirst with a beer.
In between his extended train trips Pop tilled and weeded his garden, coaxing abundant crops from the earth. Back porches of the neighbors were filled with the fruits of his labor, and, if the neighbor lady was home, as most women were in the early 1960s, he'd stop by for a cup of coffee and a good joke. Everyone loved to see his big smile.

So, on that cold February morning, I didn't give it much of a thought when I naively decided to exit without my usual hug and kiss. There was nothing to worry about. Besides, my father had promised to refinish a piece of battered furniture he'd picked up at the salvage yard. His workshop in the cellar was outfitted with the lifetime collection of a man who saw beauty in wood and castoffs. A favorite comment of his after a trip to the dump was, "Look at this beauty. Why, just a little sanding and it will be as good as new." Our home was filled with little beauties.

His lesson to look beyond the outer shell of a piece of a furniture also included people we met. A particularly grouchy salesclerk was excused with, "Well, her husband is sick. She has a lot on her mind." He didn't let other people's bad moods ruin his day.
As I ran into the brisk air I called over my shoulder, "See ya later!" Hopeful words which never came true.

The guilty nagging of unfinished business bore into my conscience. I tried to relieve the ache by calling home at the end of the school day. Daddy was about to drive to the doctor's office for his appointment, and he'd see me when I got home. Absolved, I went about the business of a high school freshman.
Something was very wrong when I got off the bus at the end of my road. I could see a black stretch limousine parked in front of my house. The kind of car only the funeral director in town drove. I tried to run on rubbery legs, but, no matter how hard I pushed myself, it felt like I was going in slow motion. Breathlessly I flung open the kitchen door and stopped in my tracks. My mother's face told the story. Next to her, the mortician began his technical explanation of what had happened. I couldn't hear for the blood rushing into my ears. The only sound was an empty roar.

The next few days were tearless and raw. I sat in the back of the funeral parlor looking at the body of my father in the casket. I'm only a kid! He's not supposed to die yet! My friends all had their fathers. He's too good and too young. It isn't fair. I spiraled into my empty core and knew that life was over as I knew it.
There was no rushing to go out the door now. I didn't care about school or my friends. Burning into my brain was the memory of the lost moment, words never spoken, the hug never felt. Time was the enemy and it overwhelmed me as the clock tick-tocked through the night. Hour after hour I heard the chime and dawn viciously invaded my room. I was in no hurry for the day's events.

I wouldn't allow the tears that were pushing against my eyes to fall for fear that I'd be unable stop the torrent. The pain that saturated every pore of my body prevented me from hearing or seeing anything but my father. I wanted to be invisible, to be with Daddy. Who would come to my concerts? My graduation? My whole being screamed, "I need you! How could God do this?"

The hours, the days, the years after my father's death were blurry and turbulent as I foolishly tried to escape reality. Attempting to fill the aching void in my heart with the empty promises of a fast life delivered only trouble, and time did not heal my wounds. I was too busy being angry about my loss, but the day came when my grades couldn't fall any lower, when there were no more parties, when my dearest and oldest friends stopped calling, when I couldn't look at myself in the mirror without shame, and the dam of tears broke.

For the first time, I mourned the death of my father, allowing emotion to wash over me. I cried for the loss of my childhood, for the way things used to be when my father was in our home, for the good times never to be realized, but, most of all, for the person I had become. I felt like I could never be normal again.
Powerless, I called on the God of my childhood, and the healing began. The simple act of asking for help was the first step of a long and difficult journey. Daddy's death lost its sting as my rebellious, destructive existence became a new life filled with self-discipline and responsibility. There were many times when I felt like a jigsaw piece that didn't fit into a puzzle, but eventually that feeling left. Gratitude stepped in and took its place.

I had known pain. I learned to know joy. Finally, I had become my Father's daughter.

 

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Seek First the Kingdom The Kingdom of God: Increasing Light and Knowledge and Grace All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace. Isaiah 54:13 NIV __________________ Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4 KJV __________________ They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:9 RSV __________________ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:33,34 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“In their affliction they will seek me early.”

Hosea 5:15

Losses and adversities are frequently the means which the great Shepherd uses to fetch home his wandering sheep; like fierce dogs they worry the wanderers back to the fold. There is no making lions tame if they are too well fed; they must be brought down from their great strength, and their stomachs must be lowered, and then they will submit to the tamer's hand; and often have we seen the Christian rendered obedient to the Lord's will by straitness of bread and hard labour.

When rich and increased in goods many professors carry their heads much too loftily, and speak exceeding boastfully. Like David, they flatter themselves, “My mountain standeth fast; I shall never be moved.” When the Christian groweth wealthy, is in good repute, hath good health, and a happy family, he too often admits Mr. Carnal Security to feast at his table, and then if he be a true child of God there is a rod preparing for him. Wait awhile, and it may be you will see his substance melt away as a dream. There goes a portion of his estate — how soon the acres change hands. That debt, that dishonoured bill — how fast his losses roll in, where will they end?

It is a blessed sign of divine life if when these embarrassments occur one after another he begins to be distressed about his backslidings, and betakes himself to his God. Blessed are the waves that wash the mariner upon the rock of salvation! Losses in business are often sanctified to our soul's enriching. If the chosen soul will not come to the Lord full-handed, it shall come empty. If God, in his grace, findeth no other means of making us honour him among men, he will cast us into the deep; if we fail to honour him on the pinnacle of riches, he will bring us into the valley of poverty. Yet faint not, heir of sorrow, when thou art thus rebuked, rather recognize the loving hand which chastens, and say, “I will arise, and go unto my Father.”

 

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Don't Rub it off, it's a Medal

Will went to work at the age of thirteen because his father died, leaving the family bankrupt. Will had to support his mother and four sisters. He became an apprentice in a pawnbroker's shop. Life was never easy for his family. Will's work made him aware of the poverty in which people lived and how they suffered because of it. This knowledge would influence him for the rest of his life.

Will became a Christian as a teenager and he spent his free time telling others of their need for a Savior. He believed that church ministers should be "loosing the chains of injustice, freeing the captive and oppressed, sharing food and home, clothing the naked, and carrying out family responsibilities." In his thirties, Will became an evangelist. He could be found preaching to the scum of the slums--prostitutes, thieves, gamblers, and drunks. When people became Christians. Will would send them to local churches in London, but the churches often wouldn't accept them because of their previous lifestyles.

William Booth finally decided to gather his regenerated, ragtag congregation and have them reach the people who were like themselves. So began the ministry of the Salvation Army. When it began, the Salvation Army wasn't the gentle bell-ringing volunteers we think of around Christmas time. General Booth's battle cry was "Go for souls and go for the worst."

Those who served in the Army were pelted with hot coals, sprayed with tar and burning sulfur, beaten, stoned, and even kicked to death in the streets. The Salvation Army resisted their enemies with a cheerful "God bless you" and a prayer. When General Booth was spit on during one of his tours, he told his fellow soldiers, "Don't rub it off--it's a medal!"

Another time, two Salvation Army officers set out to begin a new work, only to meet with failure and opposition. Frustrated and tired, they appealed to the General to close the rescue mission. General Booth sent back a telegram with two words on it: "Try tears." The officers followed his advice and witnessed a mighty revival.
William Booth was a Christian activist who saw his twin objectives as the saving of lost souls and righting the social injustices of his time. He saw the Salvation Army spread to 58 countries worldwide. Booth never lost his zeal for the Gospel, his love of his Lord or his heartfelt compassion for the poor. In a speech delivered three months before his death, on May 9, 1912, he said:
"While women weep as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl on the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight, I'll fight to the very end!"

Queen Mary was one of 40,000 who attended Booth's funeral. On that day, the city offices of London were shut down. One hundred and fifty thousand people filed past his casket. The New York Times claimed, "No man of his time did more for the benefit of his people."

 

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Open Access to God Through Christ We Have Open Access to God, The Creator and Sustainer of all things Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body. Hebrews 10:19,20 __________________ Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved (Jesus Christ) Ephesians 1:6 KJV __________________ As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4,5 NIV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.