SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – A LIFE WITHOUT WORRY!

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? - Matthew 6:25.

We can have a wonderful start to a New Year, if we understand that God provides food and drink, clothes for the body, beauty to the flowers, and life to the grass.

In the majestic design of things, these are fleeting and unimportant.

He sent His Son from Heaven to save us. So, He most certainly is going to give us what we need, until we go home to live with Him forever!

Loving Father, forgive my distraction over worldly things. I do believe that you have given me everything I need in Jesus, and in the gracious abundance of your blessings. In the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

CHRISTMAS 3 - WHAT A CHILD, WHAT A SON, WHAT A GOD!

There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express. - Billy Sunday.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6.

In Christ We Have...
A love that can never be fathomed
A life that can never die
A righteousness that can never be tarnished
A peace that can never be understood
A rest that can never be disturbed
A joy that can never be diminished
A hope that can never be disappointed
A glory that can never be clouded
A light that can never be darkened
A purity that can never be defiled
A beauty that can never be marred
A wisdom that can never be baffled
Resources that can never be exhausted.
- Source Unknown.

It’s a pity that our beautiful Text is only used at Christmas, because it speaks volumes for our life in Christ and for who He was, is, and will be...

His name is Wonderful...
This takes care of the dullness of life. We no longer need to live on the cheap substitutes of the world, in order to have excitement and enjoyment. Jesus Christ makes everything wonderful.

His name is Counsellor...
This takes care of the decisions of life. We no longer will be baffled by the problems of life, wondering what step is next. With Jesus Christ as Counsellor, we will have the wisdom that we need to make right decisions.

His name is Mighty God...
This takes care of the demands of life. And life is demanding! Sometimes we feel like giving up; but through Jesus Christ we can have the strength that we need to continue, and to conquer.

His name is Everlasting Father...
This takes care of the dimensions of life. We can become a part of eternity!!! A whole new dimension of living can be ours through Jesus Christ, when the government of our lives is upon His shoulders. He will never let us down, but will provide for us forever!

His name is Prince of Peace...
This takes care of the disturbances of life. How we long for lasting peace within! What we wouldn't give for the secret of poise and confidence in a threatening world! The answer is none other than, Jesus! He is the Prince of Peace, and when He controls the government of your life, He gives you Peace, for He gives you Himself.

Meaning no disrespect to the religious convictions of others, I still can't help wondering how we can explain away what to me is the greatest miracle of all and which is recorded in history. No one denies there was such a man, that he lived and that he was put to death by crucifixion.

Where... is the miracle I spoke of? Well consider this and let your imagination translate the story into our own time, possibly to your own home town. A young man whose father is a carpenter grows up working in his father's shop. One day he puts down his tools and walks out of his father's shop. He starts preaching on street corners and in the nearby countryside, walking from place to place, preaching all the while, even though he is not an ordained minister.

He does this for three years. Then he is arrested, tried and convicted. There is no court of appeal, so he is executed at age 33 along with two common thieves. Those in charge of his execution roll dice to see who gets his clothing, the only possessions he has. His family cannot afford a burial place for him so he is interred in a borrowed tomb.

End of story? No, this uneducated, propertyless young man who, left no written word has, for 2000 years, had a greater effect on the world than all the rulers, kings, emperors; all the conquerors, generals and admirals, all the scholars, scientists and philosophers who have ever lived, all of them put together. How do we explain that? Unless he really was who he said he was." - Ronald Reagan.

Remember, that there is a reason for the season; it’s the birthday of Jesus Christ! Let’s tell everyone we come into contact with, about His eternal life that He offers, to anyone who would believe in Him! Make someone’s Christmas the best one ever!

Loving Father, I thank you that you gave us a child, a Son, and Mighty God. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to remember this every time I mention His Name. Help me to tell someone about this magnificent act of love and sacrifice for us, and to let my world know of Jesus, my Lord and Saviour. In His wonderful and majestic Name, I pray. Amen.

Be Encouraged!
GBYAY

CHRISTMAS 2.

A Christmas Prayer...

Loving Father, help us to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen! - Robert Louis Stevenson.

Be encouraged.

GBYAY

CHRISTMAS

We are talking about the birth of a child,Not the revolutionary act of a strong man,Not the breathtaking discovery of a sage, Not the pious act of a saint. It really passes all understanding.

The birth of a child is to bring the great turning around of all things, is to bring salvation and redemption of the whole human race.

What kings and statesmen, philosophers and artists, founders of religions and moral teachers vainly strive for, now comes about through a newborn child.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2006!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isa 9:6.

I pray that all my readers and their families, will have a wonderful and happy Christmas, as we joyously celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – THE APPEARING OF GRACE!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. - Titus 2:11-14.

In a world that has no absolutes, in a world in search of moral standards, salvation by the costly grace of God, beckons us to change our lifestyle in response to God's grace.

Anyone who receives grace, and refuses to pursue righteousness, demonstrates his/her ignorance or hardness of heart.

In our day, in our time, to be saved means to pursue righteousness, not so that we may earn our salvation, but so that God's saving grace will not be fruitless in us.

Loving Father, because you have been so gracious with me, may my life today, reflect the righteousness you have given me through Jesus. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to pursue righteousness, so that I may bring glory to your name. I ask this in the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus, my Lord and my redeemer. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

This was drawn by my friend V, @ Illuminated Scripture. It just says it all for me! Thank you V, so simple, yet so profound.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY – A CHEERFUL HEART #47.

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

Friday has come and brings to an end another working week. What better way to get into a good frame of mind than to end it with a good laugh …

Blondes Getting Christmas Tree...
There were two blondes who went deep into the frozen woods searching for a Christmas tree. After hours of subzero temperatures a few close calls with hungry wolves, one blonde turned to the other and said, "I'm chopping down the next tree I see. I don't care whether it's decorated or not!"

This is Heaven…
This 85-year-old couple, having been married almost 60 years, died in a car crash. They had been in good health the last 10 years, mainly due to her interest in health food and exercise.

When they reached the pearly gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion, which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen, master bath suite and Jacuzzi. As they oohed and aahed, the old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. "It's free," Peter replied. "This is Heaven."

Next they went out back to survey the championship golf course in the backyard. They would have golfing privileges every day, and each week the course would change to a new one, representing the great golf courses on Earth. The old man asked, "What are the greens fees?" Peter's reply, "This is Heaven -- you play for free."

Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch with the cuisines of the world laid out. "How much to eat?" asked the old man. "Don't you understand yet? This is Heaven, it's FREE!" Peter replied with some exasperation.

"Well, where are the low-fat and low-cholesterol tables?" the old man asked timidly. Peter lectured, "That's the best part -- you can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick. This is Heaven."

With that the old man went into a fit of anger, throwing down his hat and stomping on it, and shrieking wildly. Peter and his wife both tried to calm him down, asking him what was wrong. The old man looked at his wife and said, "This is all your fault. If it weren't for your blasted bran muffins, I could have been here 10 years ago!"

Why JESUS is Better Than Santa Clause…
Santa lives at the North Pole ...
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh ...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year ...
JESUS is an ever present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies ...
JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited ...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters yourheart when invited.
You have to wait in line to see Santa ...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap ...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi littleboy (or girl,) what's your name?" ...
JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know ourname, He knows our address too. He knows our history andfuture and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly ...
JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can offer is HO! HO! HO! ...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.
Santa says "You better not cry" ...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."
Santa's little helpers make toys ...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs brokenhomes and builds mansions.
Santa is a "jolly old elf"
JESUS is the King of Kings
Santa may make you chuckle but ...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree ...
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US 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 cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – THURSDAY THOUGHTS. #4.

Christ was content with a stable when He was born, so that we could have a mansion when we die. - Source Unknown.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. - Isaiah 9:6-7.

In Support of a Sentimental Christmas - Getting Rid of the Bah Humbugs…

Many years ago the Puritans thought that they were ruining Christmas with all their pagan rituals. They especially objected to the fact that the holiday usually came on a week day, therefore distracting people, they thought, from the Lord's Day of Sunday. But they did more than annually complain about it as we do. They took action and got rid of Christmas altogether.

In Puritan settlements across 17th century America a law was passed outlawing the celebration of Christmas. The market place was ordered to stay open for business as though it were no special occasion and all violators were prosecuted. It was against the law to make plum pudding on December 25th. The celebration was not referred to as Yuletide but as fooltide.

So we want to reform Christmas and clean it up do we? Well, is this how far we want to go? Do we really want to be rid of it altogether. Then will Christmas, as the Puritans thought, be saved from us and our sinful ways. So what if we spend $40 billion annually on presents. Can you think of a better way of spending all that money than on gifts of love? And most of them are just that. And so what is all the lights and tinsel does create a fairy tale setting that soon disappears as does the so called Christmas spirit. At least it lets us know, if only for a brief time, what life can be like if we only try.

So let the message ring out this day, not that we are destroying this holy day, but rather, that we can never destroy this day. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all generations. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord.
---------------------
Take the year 1809. The international scene was tumultuous. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely. Nobody then cared about babies. But the world was overlooking some terribly significant births.

For example, William Gladstone was born that year. He was destined to become one of England's finest statesman. That same year, Alfred Tennyson was born to an obscure minister and his wife. The child would one day greatly affect the literary world in a marked manner. On the American continent, Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

And not far away in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe began his eventful, albeit tragic, life. It was also in that same year that a physician named Darwin and his wife named their child Charles Robert. And that same year produced the cries of a newborn infant in a rugged log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby's name? Abraham Lincoln.

If there had been news broadcasts at that time, I'm certain these words would have been heard: "The destiny of the world is being shaped on an Austrian battlefield today." But history was actually being shaped in the cradles of England and America.

Similarly, everyone thought taxation was the big new, when Jesus was born. But a young Jewish woman cradled the biggest news of all: the birth of the Savior. - Adapted from Charles Swindoll.
-------------------
Some gifts you can give this Christmas are beyond monetary value: Mend a quarrel, dismiss suspicion, tell someone, "I love you." Give something away, anonymously. Forgive someone who has treated you wrong. Turn away wrath with a soft answer. Visit someone in a nursing home. Apologize if you were wrong. Be especially kind to someone with whom you work. Give as God gave to you in Christ, without obligation, or announcement, or reservation, or hypocrisy. - Charles Swindoll.
-----------------
Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make thee a bed, soft, undefiled,
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep,
I too must sing, with joyful tongue,
That sweetest ancient cradle song.

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given,
While angels sing with pious mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.

- Martin Luther.

Loving Father, thank you for sending Jesus. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remember that Christmas is all about Jesus my Lord; He is the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings. I ask this in the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – WEDNESDAY WARRIOR! #4.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Luke 12:33.

It is interesting to compare the lives of two well known preachers; Benny Hinn and John Wesley, and to see the different attitudes towards ministry, also the humility of Wesley, and the non-existent humility of Hinn.

Hinn sees God’s people as a commodity to use for the building of his empire, whilst Wesley on the other hand asked for nothing to minister to God’s people, and he was totally dependent on God’s provision, which saw his ministry wonderfully blessed, whereas Hinn will have to face his maker on the evidence of his ministry.

Below is an extract from a letter that Hinn sent out to his supporters…

Dear Partner,
We have recently taken delivery on our Gulfstream G4SP plane, which we call Dove One. I have enclosed a beautiful photo-filled brochure to explain more about this incredible ministry tool that will increase the scope of our abilities to preach the Gospel around the globe. Now we must pay the remainder of the down payment, and I am asking the Lord Jesus to speak to 6,000 of my precious partners to sow a seed of $1,000 in the next ninety days. And I am praying, even as I write this letter, that you will be one of them!

I know that as you obey the Lord, He will open heaven wide and cause a mighty harvest of blessings to descend upon your life and all that you do! This next step is absolutely vital to everything we are called to do, and it is the only way I can continue to do all God is directing me to do during these prophetic days. There is simply no other possible way for me to keep up with my schedule.

Your seed of $1,000 or more toward Dove One will reap a harvest for years. The G4SP is built to fly for decades. Imagine the harvest during all those years, and you will be a vital part of that long-term harvest! Open your heart to what God would have you do. For your gift of $1,000 or more, you will receive these thank-you gifts to show my appreciation:

You will receive a beautiful art-quality model of Dove One for your desk or mantle as a constant reminder that you are a vital part of this last-days harvest for souls. Your name will be placed prominently in a special area of Dove One where I study and pray during my travels, where I will also pray for you and your family as I go around the world preaching the Gospel. Everywhere I fly, your name will travel with me, millions of miles and for years to come, reminding me that you have made it possible for me to go and preach as God has called me to do.

In Isaiah 6:8 the Lord asks, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Long ago I said, "I will go, Lord. Send me!" But I cannot do it without you, nor can I do all our wonderful Lord has called me to do without Dove One!

Dear Partner, I am counting on you. Will you help me take the Gospel to the nations with your Dove One gift of $1,000 or more?

For souls,
Benny Hinn

According to Kim Riddleberger, Hinn’s salary is somewhere between $500K and a million dollars per year and he has a $10 million seaside mansion, a private jet with annual operating costs of about $1.5 million (this is what is being replaced by Dove One), and a Mercedes SUV and convertible, valued at about $80,000 each.

On his evangelical “healing” trips, Hinn has had “layovers” between crusades piling up hotel bills ranging from $900 per night to royal suites that cost almost $3,000 for one night’s stay in lovely places such as: Hawaii, Cancun, London, and Milan.

Contrast this to the humble ministry of John Wesley…

Wesley traveled constantly, generally on horseback, preaching twice or three times a day, seven day a week. On many occasions he was stoned or thrown out of towns and villages. He suffered serious sickness's of which the Lord healed him. He wrote over 600 books, tracts, and articles. Compiled 23 collections of hymns, edited a monthly magazine, translated Greek, Latin, and Hebrew works, and edited, under the title The Christian's Pattern, Kempis's Imitation of Christ.

When he died aged 88, he had two silver spoons as his only possessions, besides his books and the legacy of his ministry,Wesley’s death did not bring an end to Methodism.

Instead, it heralded a golden age of rising membership and increased self-confidence. Between 1791 and 1850 the number of Methodists in the British Isles increased from 72,500 to over 500,000, with millions more overseas. Although membership in Britain has declined since that high-water mark, Methodism remains one of the largest growing Protestant denominations in the world. For example, between 1956 and 1996 the number of Methodists in Africa rose from one million to nearly six million and in Asia from 1,230,000 to nearly 10,000,000.

Worldwide: There are now Methodist churches in nearly every country in the world, and it is calculated that the whole Methodist family numbers some 70 million people. Over the last 40 years major areas of growth have been in Latin America (783%), Asia (690%) and Africa (450%)

John Wesley’s reputation kept pace with this expansion. He was seen as the man whose genius and faith had laid the foundations for one of the great success stories of the post-Reformation Church. Despite cultural differences and the passing of more than 200 years, Methodists continued to look to their founder as the model evangelical and a focus for unity. - The Wesleyan Legacy.
-----------------
Being much concerned about the rise of denominations in the church, John Wesley tells of a dream he had. In the dream, he was ushered to the gates of Hell. There he asked, "Are there any Presbyterians here?" "Yes!", came the answer. Then he asked, "Are there any Baptists? Any Episcopalians? Any Methodists?" The answer was Yes! each time. Much distressed, Wesley was then ushered to the gates of Heaven. There he asked the same question, and the answer was No! "No?" To this, Wesley asked, "Who then is inside?" The answer came back, "There are only Christians here." – Source Unknown.
----------------------
I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field. - John Wesley.
----------------------
John Wesley preached his last sermon of Feb 17, 1791, in Lambeth on the text "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near" (Isa 55:6). The following day, a very sick man, he was put to bed in his home on City Road. During the days of his illness, he often repeated the words from one of his brother's hymns: I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me! His last words were, "The best of all is, God is with us!" He died March 2, 1791, aged 88. - W. Wiersbe.
-----------------
Although George Whitefield disagreed with John Wesley on some theological matters, he was careful not to create problems in public that could be used to hinder the preaching of the gospel. When someone asked Whitefield if he thought he would see Wesley in heaven, Whitefield replied, "I fear not, for he will be so near the eternal throne and we at such a distance, we shall hardly get sight of him." - W. Wiersbe.

John Wesley did all this with a horse! I will leave you to consider which of these men were called to minister by the Lord.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to hunger and thirst after you, and to understand that you, and you alone are my provider. Help me Lord to remember John Wesley, and others like him, who loved you so much, and worked solidly for the extension of your Kingdom. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT - TUESDAY’S CLASSIC TESTIMONIES.

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. – Revelation 12:11.

By way of encouragement, I would like to devote Tuesdays to classic testimonies, which have brought great blessing and glory to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Men and women who have faithfully served for the Kingdom of God. My prayer is that you will be blessed, encouraged, and inspired by these testimonies as I was…

Catherine Marshall 1915 – 1983.

At the age of fifteen, Catherine Marshall felt God leading her to submit her life and human desires to Him. In Meeting God At Every Turn, she writes: "Two dreams were planted inside of me: to go to Agnes Scott College [in Atlanta] and to get ready for the wonderful man who would come from far away to marry me.

"Already I had been accepted at Agnes Scott. Even though I had saved some money...we were still hundreds of dollars short of what was needed." By graduation from high school, the Depression had devastated the economy and the effects were reflected in her father's salary as a pastor of a small church.

One evening her mother found her lying across her bed sobbing. "She sat down beside me [and said], 'You and I are going to deal with this right now . . . I know it's right for you to go to college. Every problem has a solution. Let's ask God to tell us how to bring this dream to reality.' "A sob deep in my throat made me pause. I knew what I now had to do. 'And Lord [I prayed], I turn this dream over to You. I give it up. It's in Your hands. You decide.'"

This first moment of youthful honesty set the tone for her entire life. "I was learning that the price of a relationship with [God] is a dropping of all our masks and pretense. We must come to Him with stark honesty 'as we are'—or not at all. My honesty brought me relief; it washed away the guilt, it strengthened my faith."

Catherine went to Agnes Scott. And it was there she met and eventually married Peter Marshall, who later became chaplain for the U.S. Senate. Though meetings between the two were brief in the beginning, Catherine sensed she was falling in love with the Scottish pastor. However, Peter's speaking schedule coupled with the duties of the pastorate left little time for dating.

Once again, God was pressing her to lay aside any personal desires. Only after giving the outcome of the relationship to Him in prayer did the love between them grow. And at the end of her senior year, Peter asked her to marry him. She wrote, "For three years I had been hopelessly in love with Peter Marshall and now had come the biggest moment in my life - a proposal from the man of my dreams. And I hesitated. Why? At that moment I became aware in a new way of how God operates in human lives, and in that moment of awareness, I did a lot of growing up.

"Almost from our first meeting I had a strange sense of a God-given destiny about Peter. That made it of prime importance to be certain that I was meant to be a part of that destiny. "I learned that because God loves us so much, He often guides us by planting His own lovely dream in the barren soil of a human heart. When the dream has matured, and the time for its fulfillment is ripe, to our astonishment and delight, we find that God's will has become our will, and our will, God's." On November 4, 1936, Catherine and Peter were married.

She was only twenty-three when she and Peter moved to Washington D.C., where he became pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. In January 1940, Peter Jon, their only son, was born. By then her husband's reputation as a deeply committed man of God was growing. Congressmen, senators, and people from all walks of life attended the worship services.

At the peak of their ministry, Catherine was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The only treatment at the time was total rest. Doctors assured her she would be well in three or four months, but two years later her situation remained unchanged. She fought feelings of depression as she watched her son and husband living a life separate from the one she was forced to maintain. Her journal became a spiritual solace where she recorded her talks with God and the hope He faithfully provided.

One night while staying at her parent's house, she was awakened with a sense of God's closeness. "I knew that Jesus was smiling at me tenderly, lovingly . . . His attitude seemed to say, 'Relax! There's not a thing wrong here that I can't take care of." "The unforgettable truth of David's Psalm 23 came alive in my experience. This [was] a period of equipping—of spiritual preparation—for a tumultuous life of changes, of great, high moments to follow and plunging low points." X-rays taken a short time later revealed a marked improvement. Within six months, the doctors pronounced her completely well.

"From the vantage point of the years, I can see now that my being forced to lie down in the green pastures beside very still waters indeed - the isolation of our bedroom - was a time of training. Day by day God was the teacher and I, the pupil. I would need Him every day for the rest of my life and more, throughout eternity."

A short time later when news of Peter's sudden death came, God provided the hope she needed. "'Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life,' was His personal pledge to me and to a son who would now sorely miss his father."

Realizing she now had a much greater responsibility and purpose, Catherine went on to become a noted Christian author and speaker. A Man Called Peter, her husband's biography, is one of her best known books. Until her death, Catherine Marshall remained a vibrant witness of God's unending grace.

Loving Father, I thank you for the life and testimony of Catherine Marshall, a faithful servant, and one who knew you so well. By the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to be a person of like faith, that I may bring glory to your name. I ask this in the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – MONDAY’S HEART STARTER #23.

Kevin Carter could never escape his continent's turmoil. For a decade, the photographer captured vivid pictures of repression and strife in his native South Africa. Last year, he went to famine-racked Sudan and came upon a starving toddler stalked by a vulture.

He photographed the scene--an image that won this year's Pulitzer Prize--then chased the vulture away. As the child resumed her walk to a feeding station, he lit a cigarette and wept. Last week, at 33, he killed himself with carbon monoxide pumped into his pickup truck. Explained his father: "Kevin always carried around the horror of the work he did." - U.S. News and World Report.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:2-4.

Well folks, the weekends over, and it’s back to work for those who live in the Southern Hemisphere, for those who don’t, please continue to enjoy your weekend, but remember, Mondays coming! And as we know by experience, Mondays can be very sluggish, especially after a lovely weekend, where we managed to spend some quality time with our families and friends, and suddenly it’s back to the grind.

I thought by way of encouragement, that we could have a ‘Heart Starter’ from the word of God, rather than the six cups of coffee, or whatever it takes, to get started for the rest of the week!

Our subject today is STRESS…

Traits characteristic of the stress-prone…
1. Plans day unrealistically.
2. First to arrive, last to leave.
3. Always in a hurry.
4. Makes no plan for relaxation.
5. Feels guilty about doing anything other than work.
6. Sees unforeseen problem as a setback or disaster.
7. Is always thinking about several other things when working.
8. Feels need to be recognized and overextends because of this

What to do…
1. Recognize aggravating aspects of your job and accept them rather than fight them. Wisdom to discern what can and cannot be changed, attempt to change the first, and accept the second.
2. Identify your emotional needs and find ways to meet them.
3. Practice listening, it is more relaxing than talking.
4. Be sensitive to change, sense it coming and make adjustments. This makes change manageable rather than insurmountable. - From Leadership.

Responsibility for others is one of the chief causes of tension in executives. To prove this idea, an experiment was conducted some time ago with two monkeys. Scientists devised a method of giving one of the monkeys "executive" training under carefully controlled laboratory conditions.

The monkey chosen for executive training was strapped in a chair with his feet on a plate capable of giving him a minor electric shock. Then they put a light over the desk and turned the light on 20 seconds before each shock. A lever was placed by the monkey's chair. If he pulled the lever after the light came on, the light would go out and there would be no shock. The executive monkey learned to avoid the shock very quickly.

The scientists then placed another monkey across the room with the same setup, except that the second monkey's lever didn't work. However, the monkeys soon learned that the first monkey's lever would work for both, turning off the second monkey's light and protecting him from shock as well. This made the first monkey an executive, since he was now responsible for preventing shock for the second one.

The first monkey was intelligent. He quickly took over, protecting both himself and his colleague from shock, responding to both lights or either light without difficulty. There was no outward change in either monkey as the experiment continued, but after awhile the executive monkey, responding to the stress of responsibility for another, developed stomach ulcers.

The second monkey's health remained unchanged. – Source Unknown.

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length;
Pressed so intensely, it seems beyond strength;
Pressed in the body, and pressed in the soul;
Pressed in the mind, till the dark surges roll.

Pressure by foes, and pressure by friends,
Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.
Pressed into knowing no helper but God;
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod.

Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;
Pressed into faith for impossible things.
Pressed into tasting the joy of the Lord;
Pressed into loving a Christ life outpoured.
- Author unknown.

Wow! Now that our hearts are beating regularly, let’s consider what we have just read over a cup of Java, and thank the Lord for our strength in Him, and also for the power of the Holy Spirit, that helps us in times of stress.

Loving Father, I thank you for the beautiful weekend that I have just had. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to start off this week, by taking on board some of the advice that I have read, and to avoid the stress of unrealistic situations in my life. In the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – HE CARES ABOUT US.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7.

Isn't it absolutely incredible, that God who made the universe cares about us, and our needs, hurts, frustrations, failures and fears!

Whatever concerns a follower of Jesus, whether they be spiritual or temporal, or whether they are great or small, God concerns Himself with them; what affects them affects Him; in all their afflictions He is afflicted. They, who know that God cares for them, need have no anxious cares about themselves.

So let's trust that He will do what is best for us, and show our appreciation by living for Him!

Loving Father, I consciously place all of my needs, anxieties, cares, hurts, frustrations and fears in your hands. I will do my best not to dwell on them, and trust that you will do what is best for me, and those I love. In the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY – A CHEERFUL HEART #46.

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

Friday has come and brings to an end another working week. What better way to get into a good frame of mind than to end it with a good laugh …

A salesman from KFC walked up to the Pope and offers him a million dollars if he would change The Lord's Prayer from "give us this day our daily bread" to "give us this day our daily chicken." The Pope refused his offer.

Two weeks later, the man offered the pope 10 million dollars to change it from "give us this day our daily bread" to "give us this day our daily chicken" and again the Pope refused the man's generous offer.

Another week later, the man offered the Pope 20 million dollars and finally the Pope accepted. The following day, the Pope said to all his officials, "I have some good news and some bad news. 'The good news is, that we have just received a check for 20 million dollars. The bad news is, we lost the Wonder Bread account!''' - H/T Prying1.
-----------------
Hillary Clinton died and went to heaven. As she stood in front of Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates, she saw a huge wall of clocks behind him. She asked, "What are all those clocks?"
Saint Peter answered, "Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on Earth has a Lie-Clock. Every time you lie, the hands on your clock will move.
"Oh," said Hillary, "whose clock is that?"
"That's Mother Teresa's. The hands have never moved indicating that she never told a lie."
"Whose clock is that?"
"That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have only moved twice telling us that Abe only told 2 lies in his entire life."
"Where's Bill's clock?" Hillary asked.
"Bill's clock is in Jesus' office. He's using it as a ceiling fan."
----------------
I'm so broke...
I'm so broke, I go to KFC and lick other peoples fingers.
I'm so broke me and my girlfriend got married for the rice.
I'm so broke, if a trip around the world cost a nickel, I wouldn't have enough to leave the couch!
I'm so broke that I just went into McDonald's and put a small fry on layaway.
If pickles were 10 cents a truckload I couldn't buy a wart off a cucumber!
I'm so broke, just to rub two nickels together, I'd have to borrow one.
We were so broke, that at Christmas, all we could exchange was glances.
I'm so broke, the bank asked for their calendar back.
I'm so broke, long distance companies don't even call me to switch!
If I stopped on a dime, I'd probably owe it to someone.
I ain't broke, but I'm severely bent.
Someone saw me kicking a can down the street, and when asked what I was doing I said, "Moving."
I'm so broke I can't afford to pay attention!
A guy walked into our house, stepped on a cigarette and my Mom yelled, "Who turned off the heat?"
I'm so broke that when someone saw my Mom walking down the street with one shoe, they said, "Hey, you lost a shoe." She said, "No, I found one."
We're so broke that if someone rings our doorbell I have to yell, "Ding Dong!" out the window.
----------------
In Order Of Stupidity...
In case you needed further proof that the human race is doomed through stupidity, here are some actual label instructions on consumer goods.
On Boot's Children Cough Medicine -- "Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication." (We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we could just get those 5-year-olds with head-colds off those forklifts.)
On Nytol Sleep Aid -- "Warning: May cause drowsiness..." (and...I'm taking this because???....)
On most brands of Christmas lights -- "For indoor or outdoor use only." (as opposed to...what)?
On a Japanese food processor -- "Not to be used for the other use." (Now, somebody out there, help me on this. I'm a bit curious.)
On Sainsbury's peanuts -- "Warning: contains nuts." (talk about a news flash)
On an American Airlines packet of nuts -- "Instructions: Open packet, eat nuts." (Step 3: maybe, uh...fly Delta?)
On a child's Superman costume -- "Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly." (I don't blame the company. I blame the parents for this one.)
On a Sears hairdryer -- Do not use while sleeping. (Darn, and that's the only time I have to work on my hair).
On a bag of Fritos -- You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside. (the shoplifter special)?
On a bar of Dial soap -- "Directions: Use like regular soap." (and that would be how???.....)
On some Swanson frozen dinners -- "Serving suggestion: Defrost." (but, it's "just" a suggestion).
On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom) -- "Do not turn upside down." (well...duh, a bit late, huh)!
On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding - "Product will be hot after heating." (...and you thought????....)
On packaging for a Hoover iron -- "Do not iron clothes on body." (but wouldn't this save me more time)?
--------------------
OUR GREATEST NEED…
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Saviour.
-------------------
Snowflakes?
To avoid offending anybody, the school dropped religion altogether and started singing about the weather. At my son's school, they now hold the winter program in February and sing increasingly non-memorable songs such as "Winter Wonderland," "Frosty the Snowman" and--this is a real song--"Suzy Snowflake," all of which is pretty funny because we live in Miami. A visitor from another planet would assume that the children belonged to the Church of Meteorology. - Dave Barry.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US 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 cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – THURSDAY THOUGHTS. #3

Jesus, who died for thy sins, is worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. We can never ascribe too much to Jesus.

But He is worthy also to be believed, in preference to Satan, unbelief, the world, or appearances; to be trusted with all, for all, before all; to be loved more than any other, in opposition to any that would rival Him; to be followed, wherever He may lead us, through evil report or good report; to be preferred to ease, pleasure, wealth, health, to anything and everything.

Jesus is worthy to be our example, our confidant, our king, and our all. He is worthy of all He requires, all we can give, all His people have done for Him or suffered in His cause. - James Smith.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. – Mat 7:21.

A. W. Tozer on "The Old Cross and the New"…

"From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life; and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique -- a new type of meeting and new type of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as of the old, but its content is not the same, and the emphasis not as before.

"The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into the public view the same thing the world does, only a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.

"The new cross does not slay the sinner; it re-directs him. I gears him to a cleaner and jollier way of living, and saves his self-respect...The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public.

"The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere, but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross. The old cross is a symbol of DEATH. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took the cross and started down the road has already said goodbye to his friends. He was not coming back. He was not going out to have his life re-directed; he was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise; modified nothing; spared nothing. It slew all of the man completely, and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with the victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more.

"The race of Adam is under the death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape. God cannot approve any fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear, or beautiful to the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him, and then raising him again to newness of life.

"That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world; it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life to a higher plane; we leave it at the cross....

"We, who preach the gospel, must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, or the world of sports, or modern entertainment. We are not diplomats, but prophets; and our message is not a compromise, but an ultimatum."

Ye call Me Master and obey me not,
Ye call Me Light and see me not,
Ye call Me way and follow me not
Ye call Me Life and desire me not,
Ye call Me wise and acknowledge me not,
Ye call Me fair and love me not,
Ye call Me rich and ask me not,
Ye call Me eternal and seek me not,
Ye call Me gracious and trust me not,
Ye call Me Noble and serve me not,
Ye call Me mighty and honor me not,
Ye call Me just and fear me not,
If I condemn you, blame me not.
- Resource, July/August, 1990.

Loving Father, Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remember that Jesus is my Lord; He is the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings. I ask this in His wonderful and mighty name. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – WEDNESDAY WARRIOR! #3

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. - Charles Dickens.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. – 1Timothy 6:12.

Are you a warrior or a wimp? C’mon let’s get to thanking Him…

Dear Father,
I want to thank you for what you have already done.
I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.
I am thanking you FATHER, because you haven't given up on me.
God is just so good and he's good all the time. - Author Unknown.

I AM FEELING GOOD LORD AND I THANK YOU THAT I AM A WARRIOR!

Loving Father, once again I thank you for giving me a heart of gratitude, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to remind myself that I am a warrior, not only for today, but for every day! In Jesus wonderful name I pray! Amen!

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT - TUESDAY’S CLASSICAL TESTIMONY.

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. – Revelation 12:11.

By way of encouragement, I would like to devote Tuesday’s to classical testimony, which have brought great blessing and glory to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Men and women who have faithfully served for the Kingdom of God. My prayer is that you will be blessed, encouraged, and inspired by these testimony’s as I was…

PETER MARSHALL 1903-1949

Unaware of the previous night's heated dialogue between two senators, Peter Marshall, Chaplain to the U. S. Senate, began the session of April 3, 1947, with this prayer: "Gracious, Father, we, Thy children, so often confused, live at cross-purposes in our central aim, and hence we are at cross-purposes with each other. Take us by the hand and help us see things from Thy viewpoint...."

As Marshall left the Senate chamber, one of the senators involved in the quarrel followed him and offered the surprised chaplain an apology for his behavior. This incident encapsulated the nature of the jocular Scotsman's influential ministry. He was straightforward and eminently practical. Supremely, he was led by God's Spirit.

His pithy, pointed invocations before the Senate during his chaplaincy were often reprinted in such prestigious publications as Reader's Digest and The New Yorker.

Peter Marshall had come a long way in the twenty-two years since he immigrated to America from Scotland. He arrived at Ellis Island in New York harbor in 1927 at age twenty-five with two weeks' living expenses. He worked for a year in New Jersey and then was enticed to travel south to Birmingham, Alabama, where a former schoolmate from his native Scotland had immigrated.

From there, members of his Sunday school class paid his way to seminary in Atlanta. He graduated in 1931 and pastored a small church in Covington, Georgia, before returning to preach at Atlanta's Westminster Presbyterian Church.

His Gaelic brogue, sharp wit, and keen fellowship with the Savior were an engaging combination. The church overflowed each Sunday, especially with young people. A penetrating humility that readily identified with the needs of the common working man saturated his sermons.

It was in Atlanta that Marshall met and married Catherine Wood, a student at Agnes Scott College, who later chronicled Marshall's life in her book A Man Called Peter, later made into a successful movie of the same title.

Catherine quickly realized Peter was not a stodgy preacher, but rather had an innate desire for good fun. He loved playing board games and was given the honorary title of G.G.P.—Great Game Player.

She wrote: "The day of our wedding saw a cold rain falling...I gathered Peter was rollicking through successive games of Yacht, Parcheesi, and Rummy with anyone who had sufficient leisure to indulge him. That was all right, but I thought he was carrying it a bit too far, when, thirty minutes before the ceremony, he was so busy pushing his initial advantage in a game of Chinese Checkers with little sister Em, that he still had not dressed."

While on their honeymoon, the Marshall's stopped for an appointment with the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. which had wooed him to fill their vacant pulpit.

Marshall resisted their call, revealing the depths of his humility in a letter declining the invitation. "I feel... that I am not yet ready for the responsibilities and the dignities which would be mine as minister of the New York Avenue Church. I am too young, too immature, too lacking in scholarship, experience, wisdom, and ability for such a high position. Time alone will reveal whether or not I shall ever possess these qualities of mind and heart that your pulpit demands."

The church persisted, however, and despite his reservations, Marshall sensed God's hand. In the fall of 1937, at age thirty-five, he moved to the nation's capitol, where his ministry of preaching Christ and His adequacy for life's demands transcended the city's entrenched political barriers.

In ensuing years, his congregation included numerous special guests such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt. But his heart was always with the common man, the bricklayer, the mother, the teacher. Teenagers loved his youthful sincerity and adults his non-ecclesiastical demeanor. His zeal for God and unmatched eloquence in expressing His ways and character attracted the interests of the country's leaders who appointed him Senate Chaplain in 1947 and again in 1949.

It was his intense zest for God and relish for life that perhaps accelerated a serious heart condition. He suffered his second heart attack only weeks after President Harry Truman's inauguration. When the physician who had rushed to his home informed him he must go immediately to the hospital, Marshall's Scots' humor still sparkled: "I take a dim view of that. What a revoltin' development this is!"

He died hours later on the morning of January 26, 1949, at age forty-six. An editorial in the Washington Evening Star captured the true spirit of Peter Marshall's brief but impassioned ministry… "Living and working in Washington only eleven years, the Reverend Dr. Peter Marshall nevertheless has left his mark upon the whole city. He was a man of contagious spirit, eager and alert, quick to see opportunities of service and to meet their challenge....In classic language, he was a builder of the kingdom of God on this earth."

Loving Father, I thank you for the life and ministry of Peter Marshall, a faithful servant, and one who knew you so well. By the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to be a person of like faith, that I may bring glory to your name. I ask this in the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – MONDAY’S HEART STARTER #22.

At the busy dental office where I work, one patient was always late. Once when I called to confirm an appointment, he said, "I'll be about 15 minutes late. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"No," I told him. "We just won't have time to give you an anesthetic."

He arrived early. - Terri Spaccarotelli.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,- Heb 10:24.

Well folks, the weekends over, and it’s back to work for those who live in the Southern Hemisphere, for those who don’t, please continue to enjoy your weekend, but remember, Mondays coming! And as we know by experience, Mondays can be very sluggish, especially after a lovely weekend, where we managed to spend some quality time with our families and friends, and suddenly it’s back to the grind.

I thought by way of encouragement, that we could have a ‘Heart Starter’ from the word of God, rather than the six cups of coffee, or whatever it takes, to get started for the rest of the week!

Our subject today is MOTIVATION…

He may dress like a skid-row bum and smell like a dead rat, but Andy Smulian is a hit among London businessmen plagued by those who won't pay their bills. Employed by the London-Manhattan Debt Collection Agency, the 20-years-old youth will stumble into a deadbeat's office for $65 and raise a stink until the freeloader pays up.

"The receptionists do most of my work for me," says smelly Smulian. "I hear them tell their bosses, 'If you're not going to write a check, you'd better find yourself another secretary.'"

Though the enterprising young man has generally been successful with his debt-collecting efforts, he has recently been taken to court because of his villainous stench. But he insists he is not to be sneezed at and is sure the London magistrate will rule in his favor. "The law doesn't define when a smell becomes offensive," he says with confidence. But who is he to talk? Afflicted with permanently blocked sinuses, he can't smell a thing. - Campus Life.
------------------
Bob Kuechenberg, the former Miami Dolphins great, once explained what motivated him to go to college.

My father and uncle were human cannonballs in carnivals. My father told me, "go to college or be a cannonball."

Then one day my uncle came out of the cannon, missed the net and hit the ferris wheel, I decided to go to college. - Newsweek.
------------------
How do you motivate people to produce, to do a better job? The answer, say motivational experts, is by fulfilling these five needs:

Economic Security: Workers should feel that their time and effort will be fairly rewarded.
Emotional Security: Management must create a climate in which employees "trust" their superiors, and feel that their jobs contribute to a worthwhile goal.
Recognition: Employees should feel that good work will be appreciated and praised.
Self-expression: We live in a democracy, and none of us should feel that we surrender that heritage when we enter our place of employment. Employees should have the right to communicate ideas, suggestions, fears, and opinions to their superiors without fear of retribution.
Self- respect: This is simply the need to be treated as an individual, as a human being--not a statistic. - Bits and Pieces.
-------------------
If none of the above will motivate you, how about this…

Blue Monday, that post-weekend, down-in-the-dumps day, may indeed be dangerous to your health. More men die suddenly of heart disease on Monday than on any other day of the week, reports a group of University of Manitoba researchers in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Your heart also knows about TGIF (Thank God It's Friday), because that's the workday when the fewest men die of heart attacks. A long-term follow-up study of nearly 4,000 men found that 38 had died of sudden heart attacks on Monday while only 15 died on Friday. For men with no history of heart disease, Monday was particularly dangerous. Among that group, an average of 8.2 heart attack deaths occurred on each of the other six days of the week, while nearly three times as many occurred on Monday.

"Psychological stress has been related to sudden cardiac death, and it may be that return to work serves as a stressor," says Dr. Simon W. Rabkin, one of the researchers. But being at home on Blue Monday didn't help much either, since 46.7 percent of the fatal heart attacks occurring in the home also happened on Monday.

"The warning 'Beware of Mondays' should be stimulus for further research to determine why," Rabkin adds. - Ronald Kotulak.

Wow! Now that our hearts are beating regularly, let’s consider what we have just read over a cup of Java, and thank the Lord for our motivation in Him, through the Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Loving Father, I thank you for the beautiful weekend that I have just had. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to start off this week, by motivating myself to be a better person, husband, wife, son, daughter, employee, employer. In the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!

I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. - Psalm 121:1-2. TNIV

In a world of breathtaking beauty, and a universe of amazing variety, our hearts are to be drawn back to the One who made it, and now sustains it.

He knows us, and will help us if we will believe what he has tried in so many ways to say: “I love you as my child and I care what happens to you and those you love.”

To the world I say, there is no help for me but in my God; and I expect it from no other provider.

Loving Father, it absolutely bewilders and delights me, to know that you care for me. With all the things of such vast importance, I find your desire to know and love me humbling and assuring. By the power of the Holy Spirit I will worship, work, and witness, while being aware of your presence and care. I thank you, in the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY.

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND! :)

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – THURSDAY THOUGHTS. #2.

Tolerance can be exercised only by those who have well-grounded convictions... Those who have no such convictions, but who espouse polite doubt, agnosticism, skepticism, or downright nihilism, can only be indifferent, not tolerant. The two are by no means the same, and history has demonstrated the intolerance of those who clam that truth either does not exist or is humanly unattainable. - Evangelical Newsletter.

You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. - Col 3:12-13. GNB

According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man; weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man's feet and gave him food and drink. The old man immediately began eating without saying any prayer or blessing. So Abraham asked him, "Don't you worship God?"

The old traveler replied, "I worship fire only and reverence no other god."

When he heard this, Abraham became incensed, grabbed the old man by the shoulders, and threw him out his tent into the cold night air.

When the old man had departed, God called to his friend Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied, "I forced him out because he did not worship you."

God answered, "I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?" - Thomas Lindberg.

As Dorothy Sayers observed, "In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair, the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die." - Charles Colson.

Loving Father, Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be tolerant to all whom I come in contact with, that I may be a blessing, and an example to them. I ask this in the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged.
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT - WEDNESDAY WARRIOR! #2.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. – 2 Cor 10:4.

Wednesday Warrior is designed to look at some false/heretical teachings etc; and to fight back against them with some straight-talking, and correctly handling the Word of God.

There is some pathetic stuff happening in the PENTE/CHARISMANIA REALM! We start with this no-brainer from ‘Streams of Revival” at Charisma Online (29/11/06.)

Intimacy With the King…
Patricia King, founder of Christian Services Association and its media arm, Extreme Prophetic, shares an encouraging word about God's desire to draw His people into greater intimacy with Himself. To move into a place of deeper intimacy, you must relinquish your fears and preconceived ideas about what that entails. When you do this, you can expect God to "draw near to you," as the Scriptures promise (James 4:8, NKJV).

"Get ready for a breakthrough unlike any you've had in the past. You may have had a breakthrough in your finances or in other areas of your life, but this is a breakthrough into intimacy. That's right, the King Himself has invited you into His chambers to tell you the secrets of His heart. The Lord is about to woo you into deeper levels of love, revelation and passion. You're breaking through a barrier of flesh and entering a new season of relationship with the Lover of your soul. You may have distanced yourself from Him because of fear or doubt about where you stand in your relationship with Him. Today the Lord says, 'Let My perfect love cast away all your fears.' Drop any preconceived notions you may have in your arms now and prepare for a full embrace with the King."

What a load of old codswallop! I can’t believe that someone would say this drivel, never mind publish it in a mainstream blog! It sounds so lovely and sweet, and many people could fall for this, but it is in fact a false interpretation of scripture. Notice how she uses part of the text, which is a trademark for false teachers. Here is the full text…

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:8.

The reason that James said this, was that the sinners and double minded were adulterous in their behavior, and guilty of befriending the ways of the world…

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble and oppressed." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:1-7.

It has nothing to do with fears or doubts, but it has everything to do with SIN! And when they confess their SIN, and purify their hearts against their inconclusiveness about who they would serve, then, and then only could they come back to God.

Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. – James 4:9-10.

Submit your understanding to the truth of God; submit your wills to the will of his precept, the will of his providence. Submit yourselves to God, for he is ready to do you good. If we yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armour of God, and stand out against him, he will leave us. Let sinners then submit to God, and seek his grace and favour; resisting the devil. All sin must be wept over; here, in godly sorrow, or, hereafter, in eternal misery. And the Lord will not refuse to comfort one who really mourns for sin, or to exalt one who humbles himself before him. – Matthew Henry.

It’s time that this kind of foolishness stopped, and the people who say these things, should be brought to account for their actions. Then we may have balance in the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. There are many ways to encourage people to come closer to God, but Patricia King’s way is not one of them.

Loving Father, Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to study and show myself approved by you, that I may preach your word in truth and deed, and to follow in the footsteps of your dear son Jesus, in whose name I humbly ask these things. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY