The Attractiveness of a
Surrendered Life - St. Francis of Assissi
Have you ever wished you could share your faith with friends or loved ones who
do not know Christ? Or have you ever worried that our culture is slipping
farther and farther away from God's truth, but don't know how to turn it around?
Consider St. Francis of Assisi's approach
to evangelism: 'Preach the Gospel all times and when necessary, use words.'
"Pulling an Assisi"
"Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." — Saint Francis of
Assisi.
Whenever I read or hear the above quote by St. Francis of Assisi, I naturally
think of myself first. Ahem.
Letting
God’s light shine through you
Being a Christian is more than just lip service. It’s living your
life in such a way that others see a difference in you. So as you go
throughout your life, let others see God’s grace and love in you!
Wisdom
Chapter 3 of James’ letter to Jewish Christians hits hard about how our inner
life is always evident in our outer life through words and actions.
Faith
James, in chapter 2 of his book of the Bible, speaks of how mature Christians
approach faith and good deeds. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear that it is by
grace through faith that we are saved. It isn’t anything that we do ourselves -
no good works - that earns us a place in God‘s family.
Bearing With One
Another
Sometimes I think the biggest stumbling block to living the
Christian life exists in our interactions with other Christians.
Those who profess faith in Christ are very capable of hurting each
other – perhaps even unusually 'gifted' at it.
The Holy Alphabet
Each letter in the alphabet is used to illustrate how a Christian
should face challenges in life. Very clever.
Abiding in God by Abiding in Love
Knowing God as love moves us to love others; and, we know that we
have passed from death to life.
Put Your Faith To Work
What can faith do? Everything you see originated from faith (Hebrews 11:3). And
faith is the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1)
Forgive and Forget
Jesus was a man of intense action. He was active in defending the innocence of
others. He preached to turn the other cheek when we are attacked individually.
He taught to forgive your enemies.
Efforts
and Faith
Some people seem to go through life effortlessly. They are calm and collected
even when there is trouble in their life. These people have what I call a
spiritual calm. I see this in all ages, although more often in older Christians.
They traverse the rocky places of life with the same even stride as the smooth.
They have a strong, unshakable faith.
When All
Means Fail
This is the last devotional written by David Wilkerson. He posted it on his blog
just before leaving for a fatal trip. He died in a traffic accident on April 28,
2011.
Do
You Still Believe?
Do you still believe I love you unconditionally? That you are being led by my
Holy Spirit? That I bottle every tear you shed? That you are right now—in this
place, in this very hour—in my perfect will?
Christian Life is A Race
Paul often compared the Christian life to a race, and I can see why. The
Christian life is not easy, sometimes there are moments when you’re so tired you
just was to give up.
Calvary covers it all
Rom. 8:28 is God’s own All-Purpose Vitamin for us. Let us be sure to have it in
our kit, and use it often there is no fear of overdose.
God's Law: Understanding Romans 2:12-16
I have, for some time, been perplexed by the fact that the people I rub
shoulders with both in my profession as well as in my day to day living, behave
in unexpected ways.
To Serve not to be Served
While the Good Shepherd was mindful of His Duties IN THIS WORLD more than His
Rights as the Creator of all sheep, how could we the sheep belonging to the fold
of the Good Shepherd be more mindful of our rights IN THIS WORLD?
The Solution to the World's
Problem
We may be sure that there are some exceptional young people graduating from
there as well as from other academic institutions, but they are not going to fix
our world.
Not a Word
He had never been slow of speech when He could bless the sons of men, but He
would not say a single word for Himself. "Never man spake like this Man,"
and never man was silent like Him. Was this singular silence the index of His
perfect self-sacrifice?
A Chat with
God
Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided
by you. Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead.
You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock.
Sweet Irony' - Be Grateful
for Unanswered Prayers
We want God to answer our prayers. Hopefully, we will thank Him after He answers
our prayers. Now, can we thank god when he does not answer our prayers? Read
Jim's article and we may have a different perspective on unanswered prayers.
Commitment
-What is the Meaning of 'For Better or For Worse'
Commitment is a mindset . . . an attitude . . . a way of thinking that will
enable you and your spouse to navigate through the still waters and the storms
of a marriage relationship.
Troubles
in Life?
There are so many people who are in trouble. We face so many problems in our
daily life. Why do we suffer? Are they the trials given by God because we have
committed sins? But Why God allows these trials and hardships?
Tough Times
Life is never easy. We have times of joy and happiness but after that there are
the times of disappointment and sorrow. There are storms and earthquakes. Christians are not immune to the often terrifying storms of life. The label is
not a 'fix' for the fear. Where is there a source of continued security and of
courage?
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A Tale
of Two Seas
Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan.
And yet, they are very, very different. Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty resplendent with rich,
colorful marine life. Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea
is full of life, the other is dead.
Choice: Being Good or Going
to Mass
Anyone who says, "We don't go to Mass, but we are really good people" have
missed the Christian bus big time. They don't get it. Their misunderstanding is
so profound that you couldn't even say to them what they haven't got because
they don't know what they don't know.
Sin
and its Confession
Nature teaches that it is the duty of erring children to make a confession to
their earthly father, and the grace of God in the heart teaches us that we, as
Christians, owe the same duty to our heavenly father.
Be Happy
With What You Have
It is easy to think "If I could just get a new car, a bigger house, a better
job, or more money, then I'll be happy." We tend to view happiness as a
commodity attainable by wealth. However, as the old saying goes, "money cannot
buy happiness."
Explanation of God
This is what an 8-year old wrote about God. Vey insightful.
The call
As soon as a man has found Christ, he begins to find others. I will not believe
that thou hast tasted of the honey of the gospel if thou canst eat it all
thyself. True grace puts an end to all spiritual monopoly.
Temple of
God
I want you to see the distinction between those who believe and those who do not
believe. That blessed Stone, the Lord Jesus Christ, who you and I see as the
chief cornerstone of our whole life, becomes a stone of stumbling and a rock of
offense to those who stumble at the Word. They hear the Word but they do not
want to obey it.
Temptation
A Holy character does not avert temptation-Jesus was tempted. When Satan tempts
us, his sparks fall upon tinder; but in Christ's case, it was like striking
sparks on water; yet the enemy continued his evil work.
Finding
Jesus
In my life finding Jesus was the most exciting ever to happen. Once you meet Him
and receive Him into your heart, the happiness starts to overflow. It is natural
to want to tell everyone.
Finding True Happiness: Part One
What does it take for man to find true happiness in the world that we live in?
How can a person be content in this fast-paced, drive-thru society that we are a
part of?
Finding True Happiness: Part Two - Four Sources of Divine Contentment
There are four sources from which we can experience true divine contentment.
Contentment, as defined in part one, is a plateau of the Christian life that
every believer must reach in order to be fulfilled spiritually, mentally and
emotionally. That being said, let’s look at these four sources of divine
contentment in which are sure to provide ways to reach a state of fulfillment.
Living By
Faith and Not By Sight
Faith is trust or confidence in Jesus and His finished work. How simple is that?
Jesus has said, “It is finished.” Now He has seated Himself on the right hand of
the Father not because He is tired from all His work. No, He is telling us He
has done all that He needs to do for us to receive all that we need and all He
has promised us.
Sickness and Disease: The Bible’s Perspective
What is sickness? What is disease? Why are both of these ailments extremely
prevalent in a society that is more technologically advanced than ever before?
Why
has sickness and disease remained an issue since biblical times?
Is It Really
An Act Of God?
Most insurance forms have a clause for an "act of God." That is a legal term for
events outside of human control, such as sudden floods or other natural
disasters, for which no human being can be held responsible. But why are those
things attributed to God, and why do so many people think that those things are
punishment from God?
Scripture Prayer: Prayers of Faith and Power
Prayer is part of the culture - the Christian culture. Unfortunately, prayer
that is cultural and not based in faith sounds and feels empty. At some point,
people praying in this fashion begin to question the whole idea of prayer.
The Power
of Prayer and Belief in God and Heaven
God wants us to know that He is real. One way you can find out for sure is
through a fun little experiment.
What It
Means To Have a Friend in Jesus
Jesus is that friend you need at all times, in times of joy and peace or in
times of sorrow and disappointments, etc. He is always there for His friends.
The Seven Simple Ways To Forgiving
Forgiveness is, basically, about letting go. Releasing the wrong done to you, or
by you. This is really a quite uncomplicated principle, but typically extremely
tough to achieve. Forgiveness is often a decision.
How
to Control Anger Before It Destroys Your Future
Anger is destructive and is a destroyer of destinies. Many people have lost
jobs, relationships, and opportunities, all because of anger.
Forgiveness, Confidence, and Other Spiritual Tools
There have been a lot of things I've learned throughout the 30 weeks of this
amazing Spiritual Study program that it is difficult to know where to start. The
first things that impressed me regarding the classes was that there now were a
way to express what I had been experiencing.
Let Go
Align yourself with God's plan. Listen for the still
small voice within. By rejecting ego you open yourself to the Holy Spirit, to
the divine plan. Let go of the weights that hold you back and journey once more,
free.
Judge Not
We judge people and conditions by appearance, by demeanor, by expression, by
every sense and faculty. Every judgment is an exultation of "I" - "ego" over the
"other" and the "whole."
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