DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CALL JESUS “Lord?” Part 1.

You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the won-lost record of the referee. - John H. Holcomb.

Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say? - Luke 6:46. (CEV)

A missionary society wrote to David Livingstone and asked, "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you." Livingstone wrote back, "If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all." - Good News Broadcaster.

In the late 1960's one of my favourite songs was... “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison, and many people including me (I was not saved at this time,) seemed to think it might refer to Jesus. Of course it did not; it referred to the Hare Krishna a pagan faith. I have since learned that there are many “lords” and many “faiths.”

The use of the word “Lord” does not imply anything other than we are a spiritual people, and meaningless repetition of religious jargon cannot please God, yet a basis of our faith is the confession, “Jesus is Lord.”

God judges of the heart, not by words, but by works. A good servant never disputes, speaks little, and always follows his work. Such a servant a real Christian is: such is a faithful minister, always intent either on the work of his own salvation, or that of his neighbor; speaking more to God than to men; and to these as in the presence of God.

The tongue is fitly compared by one to a pump, which empties the heart, but neither fills nor cleanses it. The love of God is a hidden spring, which supplies the heart continually, and never permits it to be dry or unfruitful. - Quesnel. (E-SWORD BIBLE).

The Question I would like to ask is... “What should it mean to us to make that confession?” If we are serious about serving Christ, and determined to make Him Lord of our life, then...

“LORD” MUST TAKE ON MEANING.

What Did It Mean To Call Him Lord In The Old Testament? I, the LORD All-Powerful, have something to say to you priests. Children respect their fathers, and servants respect their masters. I am your father and your master, so why don't you respect me? You priests have insulted me, and now you ask, "How did we insult you?" - Mal 1:6.

There was no respect given to the Lord by His servants, they had insulted Him by not giving Him the respect that He deserved, and still they didn’t know what they had done. It is the same today, many of the people who attend His Church say that they follow the Lord, yet refuse to obey Him, and be committed to Him as their Lord, but still they don’t realise what they are doing wrong, and can’t understand why they are struggling with their faith.

Pliny the Elder, was a Roman writer who lived during the same time period as Jesus. He told a story of the setting of an obelisk, which when erect would stand 99 feet tall. Twenty thousand workers where chosen to pull on the ropes and activate the hoisting apparatus. There was great responsibility and risk in the operation. Just one error could cause the obelisk to fall, ruining years of work.

The King demanded one act which insured the complete attention and best direction of the engineer. He ordered the engineer's own son to be strapped to the apex of the obelisk, so that his heart as well as his head would be given to the task. - Pulpit Helps.

What Does It Mean To Call Him Lord In The Words Of Jesus? Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, "We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles." But I will tell them, "I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!" - Mat 7:21-23.

Jesus is saying that anybody who merely acknowledges His authority, or who takes for granted His divine nature, or who is self righteous, or who is doing things in His Name, by their own power, shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

This sounds very harsh, but if we do not fear Him, and give Him the obedience and respect that He deserves, then we have no right to eternal life with Him. We cannot expect blessing, if we merely acknowledge Him. We must repent of anything in our lives, which is not submitted to His Lordship.

When Julius Caesar landed on the shores of Britain with his Roman legions, he took a bold and decisive step to ensure the success of his military venture. Ordering his men to march to the edge of the Cliffs of Dover, he commanded them to look down at the water below.

To their amazement, they saw every ship in which they had crossed the channel engulfed in flames. Caesar had deliberately cut off any possibility of retreat. Now that his soldiers were unable to return to the continent, there was nothing left for them to do but to advance and conquer! And that is exactly what they did. - Source Unknown.

JESUS MUST BE THE LORD OF OUR LIVES, OR WE WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR ACTIONS.

Loving Father, Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to make Jesus Lord of my life. I confess to anything in my life that will hinder this, and I ask you to forgive me, wash me and cleanse me in the precious blood of Jesus, that I may serve Him, and make Him Lord and Saviour of my life. In His wonderful Name, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY - A HEART STARTER. #5.

God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him. - Andrew Murray.

Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful. Don't let anyone fool you by using senseless arguments. These arguments may sound wise, but they are only human teachings. They come from the powers of this world and not from Christ. God lives fully in Christ. - Col 2:7-9. (CEV)

When the wife of missionary Adoniram Judson told him that a newspaper article likened him to some of the apostles, Judson replied, "I do not want to be like a Paul... or any mere man. I want to be like Christ... I want to follow Him only, copy His teachings, drink in His Spirit, and place my feet in His footprints... Oh, to be more like Christ!" - Source Unknown.

Well folks, for most of us the weekend is over, and it is time to start a new week. What better “Heart Starter” for Monday, than thinking about spending more time with Jesus. There are many things we can use to kick start our week, but I believe that to start off the week thinking about Jesus will refresh us spiritually, and motivate us to get going for Him this week! Hallelujah! Praise His wonderful Name!

On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom." No literal portrait of Jesus exists either, but the likeness of the Son who makes us free can be seen in the lives of His true followers. - Bill Morgan.

Nothing can be accomplished successfully in the Kingdom of God, unless we are connected to Jesus Christ, in an intimate and daily basis. The Apostle Paul understood this better than anyone when he said…

All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow I also may be raised to life. - Phil 3:10-11. If it is good enough for Paul, then it is good enough for us!

Jesus said we must abide in the vine and that we can do nothing apart from Him… I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. - John 15:5.

Separated from Christ we cannot do anything, we will not produce any fruit for Him, and we will wither and die! We must spend time with Him, we must communicate with Him, and we must feel at one with Him, for He is the source of all life! Hallelujah! Praise His Mighty Name!

You get to know someone by spending quality time with them. If you we do not have a regular, and ongoing sense of His presence, we must cultivate this by spending time in His Word, talking to Him daily throughout our day, and look for Him to respond to us, that we may produce fruit for Him!

Three times a month, Jermaine Washington and Michelle Stevens get together for what they call a "gratitude lunch." With good reason!

Washington donated a kidney to Stevens, whom he described as "just a friend." They met at work where they used to have lunch together. One day Michelle wept as she spoke about waiting on a kidney donor list for 11 months. She was being sustained by kidney dialysis, but suffered chronic fatigue and blackouts and was plagued by joint pain.

Because Washington couldn't stand the thought of watching his friend die, he gave her one of his kidneys. When you've got something great to be thankful for, having a "gratitude lunch" is a great way to celebrate. - Today in the Word.

Let's have a "gratitude lunch" and make spending our time with Christ our priority, and we will begin to experience the power of God, effectively in our lives.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to spend more time with Jesus, that I may know His presence, and power in my life, and to produce fruit for His glory. In His wonderful Name, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

I drive a Nissan Pulsar, but according to this it looks like I might have the wrong car! Mmmph... I wonder. (H.T. Magic Statistics).

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

You're a classic - powerful, athletic, and competitive. You're all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get wild when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do.

Take the Which'>http://www.tomorrowland.us

/sportscar">Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – BOUNDLESS GRACE.

Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse. The Scriptures say, "Everyone who doesn't obey everything in the Law is under a curse." No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, "The people God accepts because of their faith will live." - Galatians 3:10-11. (CEV)

Thankfully, God provided us the Sacrifice that makes us righteous and pays for our sins, because none of us keeps God's Law perfectly.

In His boundless grace, Father sent Jesus to do what we cannot do, live a perfect life and offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. We don't have to live under law trying to earn our perfection and God's acceptance. Instead, we live “by faith,” trusting that God will look at us through Christ's perfection, and not our imperfection, judge us based on Jesus' holiness, and not our transgressions, and view us through the Son's righteousness, and not our unrighteousness.

In this way, we fulfil the righteousness requirements of the Law, without having to be bound to the “curse of the law.”

Loving Father, thank you for your plan of grace, which has brought me back from sin and death, and given me a way to live victoriously for you. Thank you, dear Father, for Jesus and His awesome and holy life, and his generous and loving sacrifice for my sins. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may the words I say, and the way I live, show that your grace has captured my heart, and that true faith in Jesus, has changed my life. In Jesus' wonderful Name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY - A JOYFUL HEART. #13.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22.

This is my first ‘Joyful Heart’ for the year, and so far its been a great start to the New Year. I have had a wonderful time physically and spiritually the past four weeks, it’s been great to relax and get some of the stuff done that has been overlooked, because of the busyness of last year, hopefully we can get a bit more organised this year.

Last year saw my wife Jean struggle with an illness for six months, but after 5 weeks in hospital, and four operations on her foot, she is almost back to normal, by that I mean she hasn’t been spending as much of our money as she used too, but looking at her spending over past two weeks, she is definitely feeling better! We give thanks for to the Lord for her healing, and for all of you who prayed for Jean, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

So, let’s get on with cheering you up over the weekend...

ONE LINER’S
Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have. The Bermuda Triangle got tired of warm weather. It moved to Finland. Now Santa Claus is missing.
The colder the x-ray table, the more of your body is required on it.
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
The hardness of butter is directly proportional to the softness of the bread.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a flat tire.
The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
The shortest distance between two points is under construction.
The sooner you fall behind the more time you'll have to catch up.
The universe is a figment of its own imagination.
There's no future in time travel.
There are 3 kinds of people: those who can count & those who can't. T
here are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works. There's too much blood in my caffeine system.
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7 things to do to when Blogger.Com goes down
1. Dial 911 Immediately.
2. Open the curtains to see if anything has changed over the past 2 years.
3. You mean there's something else to do?
4. Threaten your ISP with an impeachment vote.
5. Work.
6. Re-introduce yourself to your immediate family.
7. Get that kidney transplant you've been putting off.

STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND
A man found himself, he knew not how, swept up on the shore of an island. There was nothing else anywhere to be seen. No person, no supplies, nothing. The man looked around. There were some bananas and coconuts, but that was it. He was desperate, and forlorn, but decided to make the best of it.

For the next four months he ate bananas, drank coconut juice and mostly looked to the sea for a ship to come to his rescue.

One day, as he was lying on the beach stroking his beard and looking for a ship, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. Could it be true, was it a ship? No, from around the corner of the island came a rowboat.

In it was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen -- or at least in last 4 months. She was tall, tanned, and her blonde hair flowed in the sea breeze. He watched as she rowed her boat toward him.

As she arrived at the beach, he asked, "Where did you come from, how did you get here"?
She said, "I rowed from the other side of the island.. I landed on this island when my cruise ship sank"

"Amazing," he said, "I didn't know anyone else had survived. How many of you are there?"

"It is only me," she said. "Would you like to row over to my place?"

They both got into the rowboat and left for her side of island. The woman easily rowed them around to a wharf that led to the approach to her place. She tied up the rowboat with a beautifully woven hemp rope. They walked up a stone walk and around a Palm tree, and there stood an exquisite bungalow painted in blue and white.

"It's not much," she said, "but I call it home. Have a seat. Would you like a drink?"

"No," said the man, "one more coconut juice and I will puke."

"It won't be coconut juice," the woman replied, "I have a still. How about a Pina Colada?

Trying to hide his continued amazement, the man accepted, and they sat down on her couch to talk.

"You look great," said the woman, "I think I will go up and slip into something more comfortable."

After a short time, the woman returned wearing fig leaves strategically positioned and smelling faintly of gardenia. "Tell me," she purred, "we have both been out here for a very long time with no companionship. You know what I mean. Have you been lonely? Is there anything that you really miss?"

She moved closer to him. "Something that all men and woman need? Something that it would be really nice to have right now?"

"Yes there is, now that you mention it," the man replied, moving closer to her. "Tell me, do you happen to have an Internet connection?"
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ATTITUDE
Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation's deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do. - Steve Goodier.

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PUNS OF THE WEEK FOR MY FRIEND – BLOGOTIONAL, BECAUSE HE MISSED THEM.

Greys Anatomy has many humerus remarks.
The soup was so bad it was gruel and unusual punishment. The cannibal passed his brother in the woods.
If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? The Flanders native kept clearing his throat because he was phlegmish.
Meetings - where we take minutes and waste hours.
The greatest nut Meg ever knew met a grater.
Old genealogists never die, they just lose their census.
New years resolution for the bankrupt gardener was to forget the past and rely on the fuchsia.
The personal trainer quit his job because it wasn't working out.
How Long is a Chinese man.
The air conditioning contractor was noted for his efficiency because he kept all his ducts in a row.
The first order of priority in hiring math majors is get them to sine on the dotted line
They tried to save him with an I.V. but it was all in vein.
He gave her a fork for Christmas because there is no tine like the present.
Fishermen don't tell lies - they just get their lines tangled.
The eastern potentate spent money as if it were Emir drop in the bucket.
England doesn't have a kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool
Florence Nightingale had many suitors because men liked to go with the Flo.
The man lost his grip at the wood chopping competition - he was defeeted.
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SO ONCE AGAIN LET US REMIND OURSELVES, THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS YOU HEALTHY. IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a joyful heart, in Jesus wonderful name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY – HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY.

Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him. - Col 3:17 .

In his book FOLK PSALMS OF FAITH, Ray Stedman, tells of an experience H.A. Ironside had in a crowded restaurant.

Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited his to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer.

When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, "Do you have a headache?"

Ironside replied, "No, I don't."

The other man asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?"

Ironside replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat."

The man said, "Oh, you're one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don't have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!"

Ironside said, "Yes, you're just like my dog. That's what he does too!"

Today is Australia Day, and it is a public Holiday.

On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip celebrated the first Australia Day with his fellow officers when they "drank the King's health and success to the settlement."

Today we celebrate Australia Day in different ways; at picnics, at concerts, at pubs, in restaurants, backyards, in the lounge room in front of the TV watching the tennis or cricket.

As for me and my family, it is so good just to relax and have a barbeque, but at the same time it is good to give thanks to the Lord for bringing Jean and I to this country in 1970, when we were so young, I was 26, Jean 25, Meg 3 and Bonnie 2, and Jeannie and Janet came later.

Since then we have added into our family… Malcolm, Jon-Paul, Jordan, Chelsea, Ryan, Lachlan, Jack, Adrian, they are everyone of them, fantastic people, and we love them all very much!

It was tough at first, having to leave all our family and friends in Scotland, but we did it. We soon made new friends and a new life, but it wasn't until we got saved in 1980, that our lives really became new, and the Lord Jesus has brought so many good things into being...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Cor 5:17.

I give all the Glory to the Lord Jesus on behalf of my family, and today just reminds me of the importance of being Australian, and of Christ in our lives.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remember Jesus at all times, and in everything I do and say, that He may have the pre-eminence in all things. In the wonderful name of Jesus I pray! Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT WEDNESDAY – THE BASICS OF LIFE IN CHRIST. Part 2.

Kim Linehan holds the world record in the Women's 1500-meter freestyle. According to her coach, Paul Bergen, the 18-year-old is the leading amateur woman distance swimmer in the world. Kim does endless exercises and swims 7 to 12 miles a day. The hardest part of her regimen? "Getting in the water," she says. - Texas Monthly.

By now you should have been teachers, but once again you need to be taught the simplest things about what God has said. You need milk instead of solid food. - Heb 5:12. (CEV)

Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You've probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That's true forgiveness. - James Newton.

In Part 1, we studied two of the basics for life in Christ, and today we cover the last two...

WHERE THE ACTION IN YOUR LIFE IS, GOD IS PRESENT AND ACTIVE
I won't leave you like orphans. I will come back to you. - John 14:18. If you are searching for God, the first place to look is where the action in your life is right now. Are you struggling with depression? Then there is probably nothing of greater significance in your relationship with God than that core struggle.

Because He has a stake in what you make of yourself, the areas of your life that most absorb your attention are the areas of interaction with Him. Ask yourself, “What is the opportunity God is offering me here? What gift is God trying to give me?”

Somerset Maugham, the English writer, once wrote a story about a janitor at St Peter's Church in London. One day a young vicar discovered that the janitor was illiterate and fired him. Jobless, the man invested his meager savings in a tiny tobacco shop, where he prospered, bought another, expanded, and ended up with a chain of tobacco stores worth several hundred thousand dollars.

One day the man's banker said, "You've done well for an illiterate, but where would you be if you could read and write?" "Well," replied the man, "I'd be janitor of St. Peter's Church in Neville Square." - Bits and Pieces.

GOD DOES NOT SEND YOU PAIN AND SUFFERING, BUT WORKS WITH YOU IN THEM FOR THE GOOD
We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, - Rom 8:28. It is not God who willed or caused your sexual abuse as a child, or sends cancer or AIDS. It is not God who brought about your divorce, took your child, or caused you to be lonely.

God is at your side grieving with you, as anyone who loves you would. He is working with you to bring forth all possible good from the evils you suffer. And He is calling all of us to change the conditions that produce these evils, in your life and the lives of others.

A famous evangelist told the following incident: I have a friend who in a time of business recession lost his job, a sizable fortune, and his beautiful home. To add to his sorrow, his precious wife died; yet he tenaciously held to his faith -- the only thing he had left. One day when he was out walking in search of employment, he stopped to watch some men who were doing stonework on a large church.

One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of rock. 'Where are you going to put that?' he asked. The workman said, 'Do you see that little opening up there near the spire? Well, I'm shaping this stone down here so that it will fit in up there.' Tears filled my friend's eyes as he walked away, for the Lord had spoken to him through that laborer whose words gave new meaning to his troubled situation. - Our Daily Bread.

BE ACTIVE IN CHRIST AND KNOW THAT HE IS WORKING WITH YOU!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to get back to the basics of my walk in Christ that I may start again, and be on fire for Him. Heal my Spiritual deafness that I may once again be more like my Master Jesus, in whose wonderful name I pray! Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – THE BASICS OF LIFE IN CHRIST. Part 1.

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. - Richard L. Evans.

By now you should have been teachers, but once again you need to be taught the simplest things about what God has said. You need milk instead of solid food. - Heb 5:12.

As a Pastor I am often asked about the reasons why people are not growing in Christ, yet they have been saved a number of years. My reply is always the same... “They have become spiritually deaf, and they need to get back to the basics of Christianity, and start again.” Some people are offended, but the wise ones receive the rebuke, and implement the advice.

Over 2,000 years ago a young Greek artist named Timanthes studied under a respected tutor. After several years the teacher's efforts seemed to have paid off when Timanthes painted an exquisite work of art. Unfortunately, he became so enraptured with the painting that he spent days gazing at it. One morning when he arrived to admire his work, he was shocked to find it blotted out with paint. Angry, Timanthes ran to his teacher, who admitted he had destroyed the painting.

"I did it for your own good. That painting was retarding your progress. Start again and see if you can do better." Timanthes took his teacher's advice and produced Sacrifice of Iphigenia, which is regarded as one of the finest paintings of antiquity. - Today in the Word.

So, if you have become dull of hearing in the spiritual realm, then here are some essential principles of the Christian life worth consideration, as they apply to your life...

GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE AN EFFECTIVE LIFE
God is for you, and He stands on the side of life, and of all that belongs to life, i.e. deliverance, healing, well-being, growth, joy, peace, and love... What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? - Rom 8:31. Hallelujah! What an awesome God we serve!

Charles Francis Adams, 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time. The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing is to know one's ultimate purpose in life and to judge accordingly. - Silas Shotwell.

THE PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE IN CHRIST IS TO LOVE
But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. - John 13:34.

Love is what makes life liveable. We crave it and have an innate desire to give it. Practically every issue we struggle with in life comes down to love in some way. “How shall I deal with my spouse? Or my children? Why am I so lonely? Do I have any real value? How should I use what money and power I have?” All these are questions about love. If love is what we are made for, little wonder that we feel empty if we are not doing much of it.

In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, "Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less." - Our Daily Bread.

LIVE AN EFFECTIVE AND LOVING LIFE FOR JESUS!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to get back to the basics of my walk in Christ that I may start again, and be on fire for Him. Heal my Spiritual deafness that I may once again be more like my Master Jesus, in whose wonderful name I pray! Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY - A HEART STARTER. #4.

You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice. Wouldn't you then first discover how much you really trusted it? - C.S. Lewis.

Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life. - John 20:30-31. (CEV)

I have just had the most refreshing time in my life over the past four weeks. For those who don’t know, Australia closes down from Christmas Eve through to 23 January. So I have taken advantage over these holidays, to refresh and refire myself for the coming year.

Now that I am ready to go for the New Year, I thought that we would have a nice ‘Heart Starter’ today, and what else can get your heart beating faster than talking about Jesus, certainly not the 6 cups of coffee that you think you need! Hallelujah! Bless His mighty Name!

Advertising tells us through market research, that they are convinced people are seeking life. Every new product claims to be the source of a better life, and when we as Christians set out to find this life, we find ourselves clutching straws. Jesus tells us that seeking to save our own lives will cause us to lose it. This is a spiritual paradox that has a real explanation and it is found in our text…

THAT WE MAY BELIEVE
Believing is “faith”; without it we cannot please God… No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him. - Heb. 11:6.

We believe in many things without understanding…magnetism, electricity, cars, computers, etc; but BELIEF is a choice, based on evidence that is sufficient to change us. It is not imposed upon us by God, but freely given. (No condemnation, no manipulation, no fine print; i.e. Tele-evangelists etc; and it is not learned, it is accepted.

My husband, Ron, once taught a class of mentally impaired teenagers. Looking at his students' capabilities rather than their limitations, Ron got them to play chess, restore furniture and repair electrical appliances. Most important, he taught them to believe in themselves. Young Bobby soon proved how well he had learned that last lesson. One day he brought in a broken toaster to repair. He carried the toaster tucked under one arm, and a half-loaf of bread under the other. - Edna Butterfield.

THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH AND THE SON OF GOD
The object of Christian belief is Jesus, not the church, although that is important. Not just “Jesus” as an historic person, but Jesus as the Anointed One, “The Christ.” Knowing Jesus, as the Christ, is Eternal Life…

After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed: Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. And you gave him power over all people, so that he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. John 17:1-3.

This is the source of eternal life; the knowledge of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, is in itself a source of unspeakable and eternal joy. Hallelujah, praise His wonderful Name!

WE WILL HAVE TRUE LIFE
The Source of this life is located in Jesus… The testimony is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in his Son. - 1 John 5:11.

LIFE comes by Him and through Him; He is its creator and its procurer; it is only in and through Him. No other plan of salvation can be effective; God has provided none other, and because of this truth, man’s search for anything other than Jesus, must bein vain.

Having the Son is having Life… Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I am writing this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you that believe in the Son of God. - 1 John 5:12-13.

The Life we have in Him, is life to the fullest… The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life, life in all its fullness. - John 10:10.

Because it is His Life, that He has given us, not an extension of ours! Operating as though God has spoken, and has told the truth is a choice of faith, the writer of Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us…

In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end.

Are you experiencing all that God has for you? The Christian life is a marvelous adventure, an exciting journey. Many people-including Christians-seem to be content to float in a sea of mediocrity, settling for second best. Do you want the abundant life that Jesus promised? Do you want to live life to its fullest? Then aim higher. Don't set your sights too low. Determine to become all that God created you to be. Give yourself to Christ, follow Him completely, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in you and through you. You ain't seen nothin' yet! - Wayne Rice.

If we say we believe in God, then we need to act as though we believe God. He tells us we have Life in Jesus, He tells us as we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in our heart God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (have life). We need to believe that and live by it. His life is in us, and He is prepared to live through us…

LIFE IS IN JESUS! HALLELUJAH, WHAT AN AWESOME GOD WE SERVE!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – THANKFUL FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN.

I never stop thanking my God for being kind enough to give you Christ Jesus, who helps you speak and understand so well. -1 Corinthians 1:4-5. (CEV)

The apostle Paul was amazing. He is writing to one of the most problematic churches and yet finds reasons to give thanks for them.

First, he is thankful for them because Jesus died for them. When God extends his grace to others, how can we not do the same?

Second, he recognizes the areas of their abuse are also a reason to give thanks, they may have distorted it, but when reined in to honour God, these gifts could bless their church.

Even though he has tough words to follow, Paul's example reminds us that a child of God is something to be cherished, even if they have problems.

Loving Father, give me a heart to be thankful for all of your children. I confess that it is often so easy for me to view others based on how they view me, share my theological opinions, or how much trouble they cause me. Forgive me, for I know if you had done the same with me, I would have never been one of your children. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, help me rejoice in all of your children. In the wonderful Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

I AM ENGLISH! WHAT AN INSULT TO A SCOTSMAN!

I approached this from the fact that I am a Pastor, I never thought that I would be insulted! :) (HT MAGIC STATISTICS.)

You scored as English. You should be an English major! Your passion lies in writing and expressing yourself creatively, and you hate it when you are inhibited from doing so. Pursue that interest of yours! Theater 100% Philosophy 100% English 100% Engineering 100% Journalism 100% Art 100% Psychology 100% Sociology 83% Dance 83% Mathematics 83% Biology 83% Anthropology 83% Linguistics 67% Chemistry 50% What is your Perfect Major? created with QuizFarm.com

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

CROCKED BY A SNAKE!

This is what happens when you leave the safe shores of Australia, and venture into the terrifying jungle of LA! :) Remember what happened to Crocodile Dundee?

CROCODILE hunter Steve Irwin has been injured while training for crocodile wrestling.

Irwin was limping and sporting a knee brace on his left leg while performing in Los Angeles yesterday for Australia Week.

Irwin told the American crowd he'd like to say he injured himself while fighting white sharks but the truth was he'd torn some knee ligaments while in wrestling training.

Also in Los Angeles, Hollywood's A-list came out to watch a slice of Australian life in the heart of Tinseltown.

John Travolta (An honourary Aussie), Hugh Jackman and Olivia Newton-John were among a crowd who ate pies, drank beer and watched a footy game between the Sydney Swans and the Kangaroos.

The match was the highlight of the Australia Week celebration G'Day LA.

C'mon Aussie, c'mon, c'mon!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

FORGET SOMETHING? DRINK A CAN OF IRN_BRU.

Scotland's other famous drink, and mine, is IRN-BRU, a delicious soft drink that has no equal anywhere in the world, can restore memory loss...

SUGARY drinks can boost your ability to memorise facts by up to a fifth, according to groundbreaking research by a team of Scottish scientists. Just one bottle or can of a sugar-laden soft drink has a significant effect on the brain's ability to store and retrieve memories, psychologists from Glasgow Caledonian University discovered.

They say anyone facing an exam, speech or any event where the ability to retrieve information accurately and rapidly is important is likely to perform better if they have a sugary drink beforehand.

And, in an age of low-sugar or artificially sweetened drinks, they suggest that too many low-calorie beverages could hamper mental performance. Dr Leigh Riby, a psychology lecturer at the university who led the research, claims that people who suffer from poor memory have difficulties in regulating sugar levels in their brains.

He believes it is possible to identify people who are likely to have memory problems in later life by examining the way their bodies deal with sugar and to help them by making simple changes to their diet.But he also claims that a quick fix of glucose can help even people with good memory improve their performance.

"I encourage my students to have an energy drink before lectures, as it helps them learn more," he said. "When young and middle-aged adults are given glucose supplements, their memory activity increases as their brains are flooded with glucose, which triggers activation of the cells in the hippocampus area of the brain. "This area lights up with activity when extra glucose is taken into the body."

In a series of studies carried out using memory tests on volunteers, the researchers found that those who had drinks laced with glucose before their tasks were up to 17% better at remembering. Sophisticated brain-imaging techniques also revealed high levels of activity in the area of the brain related to memory shortly after participants consumed high-sugar energy drinks.

In tests where volunteers were asked to remember a list of words, those that drank orange-flavoured water containing 25g of sugar, about the same as a can of Coca-Cola, could remember 11% more words. If they drank twice that amount of sugar, they showed a 17% improvement.
The study, conducted in 25 adults aged between 18 and 52 years old, also showed that the participants were around 100 milliseconds faster at remembering sets of letters shown to them a few minutes earlier.
It may help to explain the secret behind the new Tory leader David Cameron's vote-winning speech, delivered without notes during the party leadership campaign.

Cameron later revealed that he drinks tea with 10 spoonfuls of sugar in it before giving key speeches, after former leader William Hague advised him it would coat his larynx and stop his mouth drying out.
But the research at Caledonian University suggests the highly sweetened drink also helped him remember key points.

Riby is now attempting to develop interventions to help adults with poor memory to use their natural sugar reserves more effectively.

He said: "In the long term, poor glucose regulation can lead to poor memory function in later adulthood. "Our work shows that if we can 'train' our bodies early in life to effectively use their own glucose reserves, poor memory function can be minimised. "By changing the diet of young or middle-aged adults who have trouble regulating their own glucose levels, it would be possible to reduce the memory problems they may have. "We want to do this as much as possible through natural diet, as there are a number of reasons not to give people lots of sugar."

Riby also claims that his research, which was funded by the NHS and Wellcome Trust, explains why people can remember frightening and unpleasant experiences far more readily.

He said: "It is not surprising that glucose levels have become so inexorably linked to memory from an evolutionary point of view. When a stressful event such as being put in danger or being frightened occurs, adrenaline levels go up, which increases the natural glucose levels in the blood. "This causes lots of glucose to flood the brain and trigger the formation of memories."

Another key area of the group's work is to use glucose supplements to enhance memory in elderly patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Dementia affects more than 63,000 people in Scotland and costs the NHS millions of pounds in care. Previous research by Riby found that dementia patients showed dramatic improvements in their memory after being given glucose.

But public health experts warned against drinking large quantities of sugary drinks in a bid to boost memory function.

David Conway, a clinical lecturer in dental public health at Glasgow University, said: "It is clearly going to cause serious problems not just for teeth but for general health if people start consuming large amounts of sugar. "The best way is to ensure sugar intake is achieved at regular meal times rather than constantly, which does not allow the teeth to recover."

Click here, for the test results.

Now, where did I leave my can of IRN-BRU?

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

MONDAY SCREAMER #2.

AN elderly lady found herself up in court for the first time in her life, pleading guilty to shoplifting. The Judge looked at her sternly.

"What did you steal?" he asked.

"A tin of peaches, your honour."

"Why did you steal them?" asked the Judge.

"Because . . . because I was h-h-hungry," sniffed the old lady.

"That's no excuse," thundered the Judge.

"How many peaches were in the can?"

"F-f-f-four," whispered the old lady, nervously.

"Right," said the Judge, "this common thieving has to stop. I sentence you to four days in prison."

There was a stunned silence in the court, broken only by the woman's sobs.

Then, from the public gallery, the old lady's husband nervously got to his feet. "Your honour," he said, "may I say something?"

"What is it?" snapped the Judge.

"She also stole a tin of peas . . ."

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – A LIFE OF WORSHIP.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17. (ESV)

Everything! All! No matter what we say, no matter what we do, it is to be offered as a gift of thanks to God with Jesus' name, power, and honour attached!

Begin with Him, and end with Him, and call upon His name, and pray for His direction and support, in all that we do. And every work we set out to do for Him will be crowned with all necessary success. This is what makes all of our lives, our worship, and thanksgiving to God, meaningful. There's no such thing as going to worship; if we live, if we talk, if we act, its worship.

So, how has your worship been lately?

Loving Father, I want all of my life to be lived out to your glory, a living testament of thanks to you, for the grace you have given me in Jesus. While I do not always do this as well as I would like, I lovingly offer you my words, my actions, my heart and my mind to bring you glory by doing your will. Help me by the power of your Holy Spirit, to remove the areas of self-deception from my life, so that weakness and hypocrisy, will not rob my discipleship of its intended worship of your majesty. In Jesus wonderful name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

MONDAY SCREAMER!

I am still enjoying my holidays, Daily Encouragement will be back soon. This joke is dedicated to Blogotional, because he misses me! :)

A WOMAN was leaving a store with her morning coffee when she noticed a most unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetery.

Along black hearse was followed by a second long black hearse about 50ft behind the first one.

Behind the second hearse was a solitary woman walking a pit bull on a leash. Behind her, a short distance back, were about 200 women walking single file.

The woman was so curious that she respectfully approached the woman walking the dog and said: "I am so sorry for your loss, and I know now is a bad time to disturb you, but I have never seen a funeral like this.

Whose funeral is it?"

"My husband's."

"What happened to him?"

The woman replied: "My dog attacked and killed him."

She inquired further: "Well, who's in the second hearse?"

The woman answered: "My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my husband when the dog turned on her."

A poignant and thoughtful moment of silence passed between the two women.

"Can I borrow the dog?"

"You'd better get in line."

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – LIVING CANDLES.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16.

As Christians, we are not called to isolate ourselves from society. We are not called to be hermits or Monks. Instead, we are to recognize that we are in a world of darkness and live as light, not as little candles tucked away in some inner bedroom, but as candles set on their stands so all can see their light or cities on a hill that can't be hidden.

It’s not enough just to have light, we must walk in the light, and by the light. Our entire conduct needs to be a permanent announcement on the gospel we have received, and a continuous example of it’s power and truth.

Of course, our goal is not to call attention to ourselves, but to help others see the glorious grace of our Father.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a continual blessing in God; may my life bless others today, and everyday, so they can see you and your love more
clearly. In Jesus' wonderful Name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – A NEW YEAR, A NEW ATTITUDE.

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD. - Proverbs 21:30.

No matter how fresh the start, nor how great the plans we have made, if we do not walk with God, the coming year will not be a spiritual success.

If we attempt to do anything apart from Christ, and if we attempt to do things in our own strength, we will fail.

As we receive this gift of a new year, let's commit to serve the Lord. As we make plans for the coming days ahead, let's make sure that those plans are made based on the LORD's revealed will in Scripture, and prayerful consideration of what our God wants us to accomplish.

Loving Father, thank you for being very near as I start on a new year. Please help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to know your will each day. Bring the people into my life who will help me love you more, serve you effectively, and bless others in meaningful ways. To you be all the honour and glory in what I do, think, and say in the days ahead. In Jesus' wonderful and mighty Name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND READERS, AND MAY YOU ENJOY THE PRESENCE, AND THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF JESUS, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2007.

Be encouraged.

GBYAY

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND READERS, AND MAY YOU ENJOY THE PRESENCE, AND THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF JESUS, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2007.

Be encouraged.

GBYAY