THE END
Where Have You Been?
How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? —Romans 10:14
Remember, we don’t have just any story to tell—it’s the best story that has ever been told.
I love to tell the story,
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God’s own holy Word. —Hankey
Sharing the good news is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.
http://odb.org/2014/01/24/where-have-you-been/
Load Line
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. —1 Peter 5:6-7
Heavenly Father, I sometimes feel as if I can’t go
on. I am tired, I am weak, and I am worn. Thank You
that You know my limits better than I do. And that, in
Your strength, I can find the enablement to endure.
God may lead us into troubled waters to deepen our trust in Him.
http://odb.org/2014/01/23/load-line/
The Standoff
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1 John 4:4
The powers of evil around you are no match for the power of Jesus within you.
Wake-Up Call
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. —1 Peter 5:8
nly when we are aware of the danger that faces us every day will we consciously seek the help we need. And only if we are on the alert will we lean on the strength of our Lord, who is greater than our spiritual enemy.
Though evil may surround us,
We need not fear defeat;
For when God fights the battle,
Our enemies retreat. —Sper
The Christian life is a battleground.
http://odb.org/2012/11/02/wake-up-call-3/
The Slippery Slope Of Success
When you were little in your own eyes, . . . did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? —1 Samuel 15:17
Self-importance is the first step down the slippery slope of what we call success. It begins when we claim credit for God-given victories and modify His commands to suit our desires.
True success is staying on God’s path by following His Word and giving Him praise instead of craving it for ourselves.
Help me, O Lord, lest my heart become proud, For all of my talents by You are endowed; Nothing I have can I claim as my own— What mercy and grace in my life You have shown! —D. De Haan
True humility credits God for every success.
http://odb.org/2012/03/18/the-slippery-slope-of-success/
Handle With Care
So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. —Psalm 90:12
Let’s choose to live as though this were our last moment on earth by loving more deeply, forgiving more readily, giving more generously, and speaking more kindly.
That’s how to handle life with care.
To run the race of life in Christ, This must become your daily goal: Confess your sins, trust God for strength, Use discipline and self-control. —Sper
Yesterday is gone; tomorrow is uncertain; today is here. Use it wisely.
http://odb.org/2012/03/07/handle-with-care-4/
The Dalton Gang
He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death. —James 5:20
In a similar way, when we have sinned but have genuinely repented and experienced God’s forgiveness, we can tell our own story. We can encourage others not to make the same mistakes we have made. James wrote, “He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death” (5:20).
If others learn from our mistakes, And it saves them from the pain That we ourselves experienced— Then it wasn’t all in vain. —Sper
When we learn from our mistakes, we are less likely to repeat them.
http://odb.org/2012/03/05/the-dalton-gang/
Rejected Light
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. —John 12:46
The great invitation of Christmas is to open our hearts to the Savior who came to end our darkness. Jesus said, “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. . . . I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:36,46).
The way out of our spiritual night is to walk in the light with Him.
Come to the Light, ’tis shining for thee,
Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see—
The Light of the world is Jesus. —Bliss
When we walk in the Light, we won’t stumble in the darkness.
http://odb.org/2011/12/21/rejected-light/
Breathtaking
A man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life. —Ecclesiastes 8:15
Rather than look for meaning in breathtaking moments, we should find meaning in every breath we take, and make every breath meaningful.
All that I want is in Jesus;
He satisfies, joy He supplies;
Life would be worthless without Him,
All things in Jesus I find. —Loes
Breathing is more miraculous than anything
that takes our breath away.
http://odb.org/2011/12/11/breathtaking/
Risky Business
Then Joseph . . . did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. —Matthew 1:24
Most of us are insignificant compared to the major players in this world. But all of us are called to obey. Who knows what God has in store when we are willing to surrender to God’s will—even when it puts us at risk!
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey. —Sammis
It’s no small thing to trust and obey.
http://odb.org/2011/12/10/risky-business-2/
Advent Themes
Rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. —1 Peter 1:13
Because Christ came the first time, we can live with hope, peace, joy, and love till He comes again.
http://odb.org/2011/12/01/advent-themes/
One Heart At A Time . . . no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a belov...
One Heart At A Time
. . . no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother. —Philemon 1:16
By the transforming power of the gospel, people and situations can change. Like Woolman and like Paul, let’s seek to influence our world one heart at a time. —Dennis Fisher
If I can help some wounded heart,
If I can by my love impart
Some blessing that will help more now—
Lord, just show me how. —Brandt
The kindest thing you can do for another is to show him the truth.
The Way We Walk Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the ...
The Way We Walk
Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. —Romans 6:4
This is true in our Christian lives as well. God does the work in us to give us a new start, but to walk in the way of the Lord (Deut. 11:22) requires time, effort, and lots of practice. If we just stand still and smile, we can pass as being transformed. But the way we walk tells how far along we are in living out that transformation. Being changed means giving up our previous way of life and learning a new way to walk (Rom. 6:4). —Julie Ackerman Link
The new life in Christ has begun—
The past with its darkness is gone;
Look closer to see what the Savior has done,
For change is beginning to dawn. —Hess
A change in behavior begins with a change in the heart.
A Teachable Spirit Do not be wise in your own eyes. —Proverbs 3:7 Knowing ...
A Teachable Spirit
Do not be wise in your own eyes. —Proverbs 3:7
Knowing whether August has 30 or 31 days doesn’t matter much, but having a teachable spirit does. It will help us gain wisdom from God and others. Reading a chapter from Proverbs each day next month may give us a start. —Anne Cetas
Lord, teach us from Your holy Word
The truth that we must know,
And help us share the joyous news
Of blessings You bestow. —D. De Haan
True wisdom begins and ends with God.
Cruise the Ancient Empires A Spiritual Tour of Italy, Turkey and Greece http...
Cruise the Ancient Empires
A Spiritual Tour of Italy, Turkey and Greece
http://unity.org/education/ui/2012InstituteCruise.html
I've given my life to Jesus, but I'm still filled with doubts and wonder if...
I've given my life to Jesus, but I'm still filled with doubts and wonder if He's really forgiven me. A strong faith seems to come easily to some people, but I'm afraid I'm not one of them. Am I always going to be this way? — N.G.
And this is what Jesus Christ did for you. We deserve God's judgment for our sins -- but Jesus Christ paid the penalty for us, by dying on the cross. The Bible says, "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!" (Romans 5:9). Don't doubt any longer what Christ did for you, but thank Him that you now belong to Him -- forever.
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=8023
Trouble Ahead Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of th...
Trouble Ahead
Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land; . . . the Lord is with us. Do not fear them. —Numbers 14:9
Inevitably, trouble will invade our lives: A bad report from a medical test, the betrayal of a trusted friend, a child who rejects us, or a spouse who leaves us. The list of possibilities is long, but there are only two options: forge ahead on our own, or turn to God.
The Power Of A Promise Marriage is hard at best; disagreements and difficult...
The Power Of A Promise
Marriage is hard at best; disagreements and difficult adjustments abound. While no one must live in an abusive and dangerous relationship, accepting the difficulties of poverty, hardship, and disappointment can lead to happiness. A marriage vow is a binding obligation to love, honor, and cherish one another for as long as we shall live because Jesus has asked us to do so. As a friend of mine once put it, “This is the vow that keeps us faithful even when we don’t feel like keeping our vows.” —David Roper
Looking And Learning Train up a child in the way he should go. —Proverbs 22...
Looking And Learning
Train up a child in the way he should go. —Proverbs 22:6
It’s important for parents to set a good example, because their children are watching them.
The best way to set a good example for our children is to live out our faith in front of them. While they’re looking—they’re learning about what matters most. —Cindy Hess Kasper
Fear And Love What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear [Him] ...
Fear And Love
What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear [Him] . . . and to love Him. —Deuteronomy 10:12
To “fear” the Lord God is to give Him the highest respect. For the believer, it is not a matter of feeling intimidated by Him or His character. But out of respect for His person and authority, we walk in all His ways and keep His commandments. Out of “love,” we serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul—rather than merely out of duty (v.12).
An Open Book
You are an epistle of Christ. —2 Corinthians 3:3
As a Christian, you may never write a book, but by living for God you will be one! You will be an open book, an “epistle of Christ” for all to read. —David Roper
Life Is Like Riding A Bicycle All these . . . obtained a good testimony thr...
Life Is Like Riding A Bicycle
All these . . . obtained a good testimony through faith. —Hebrews 11:39
In a letter to his son Eduard, Albert Einstein gave this advice: “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” The great physicist’s advice is wise and practical.
This wise counsel can apply to the Christian life. Many believers by faith keep moving ahead through painful and trying circumstances. But when they experience a personal moral failure, they lose their balance and fall. Their regret and feeling of unworthiness of God’s forgiveness may then keep them down and they no longer move ahead in their spiritual life.
Are You a Carnal Christian? September 13, 2010 - Carnal Christians are peop...
Are You a Carnal Christian?
September 13, 2010 - Carnal Christians are people who continually grieve the Holy Spirit by their temper, touchiness, irritability, prayerlessness or love of self. These are signs of carnality, of spiritual babyhood. These people are living a worldly life.
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=6277&BA=2097&QR=116
Godly Wisdom for Suicide Prevention
Turn to the Only One who can truly save your life
September 9, 2010 - During National Suicide Prevention Week this year, we pointed readers to several helpful resources and, ultimately, to the Only One who can truly save a life. Please check out the many timeless answers from Billy Graham.
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=6264&BA=2097&QR=116