Head-dibs

Here's a video of a pastor-friend of ours who regularly leads a ministry team Thailand. Thanks for praying!

"The Hokey Pokey" (Original Lyrics) Put your left foot in, Your left foot out, Your left foot in, And shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey And turn yourself around That's what it's all about. "The Hokey Pokey" (Shakespearean Style) O proud left foot, that ventures quick within Then soon upon a backward journey lithe. Anon, once more the gesture, then begin: Command sinistral pedestal to writhe. Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke. A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl. To spin! A wilde release from heaven's yoke. Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl. The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about. (A Crosswalk Daily Funny)

Here's a great reason why we need to make sure every person hears the gospel.

"Being in the same boat as Jonah means you are going to lose your stuff." -- Dr. Roy King

"In all unbelief there are these two things: a good opinion of one's self and a bad opinion of God." (Horatius Bonar)

"When Peter asked our Lord, concerning John, 'Lord, and what shall this man do?' (John 21:21), the reply was, 'If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me' (v. 22). Our Lord was never sidetracked by the secondary. Whether questioned about tribute to Caesar, dividing an inheritance, or why a Jew should ask a drink of water from a Samaritan, He always stuck to the main issue. We must resist the intrusion of the irrelevant. 'What is that to thee? Follow thou me.' " from Pepper 'n Salt by Vance Havner. Fleming H. Revell Company, 1966

An evangelist told the story about the atheist that said to him, “I do not believe what you are preaching.” The evangelist replied, “You have told me what you do not believe; perhaps you will tell me what you do believe." “I believe that death ends all.” “So do I; shake on it.” And the evagelist thrust out his hand. “What!” the atheist exclaimed. “You believe that death ends all?” “I certainly do,” the evangelist answered. The atheist said, “You are a strange Christian.” “I am sure of that; there is none other like me in the world. As a Christian, I assert the belief that death ends all.” When the atheist said he had never heard such a thing, the evangelist added, “It is time you heard something new.” “Death ends all your chance of doing evil. Death ends all your joy, all your projects, all your ambitions, all your friendships. Death ends all the Gospel that you will ever hear. Death ends all for you; then you go out into the outer darkness. “Death ends all my wanderings, all

“Reports have been circulating that the Coca-Cola International Corporation has a business plan with a goal of being able to get a cold Coke within one mile of every person on earth by the year 2020.” Steve Schadrach, of Mission Frontiers Magazine wants to “use this company’s goal to motivate Christians to get the gospel within a mile of every human being [ some don't know there is a Jesus to believe in ] . . . . Although God has supplied us with infinitely infinitely more resources (than Coca-Cola has) to get His message out, are we as committed to seeing our job finished as they are?” Steve Schadrach, “ Finding Your Role in Mobilization .” Mission Frontiers, Jan-Feb 2008 (Note: Mr. Schadrach references a website in this article that is either not up yet, is not working, or has been changed.)

And now it's time for another exciting round of "Name that Sin!" (Much like old-time favorite: "Point that Finger," only different). This is based on a sermon by Samuel Logan Brengle (1860-1936) , an American Methodist born in Indiana who joined the Salvation Army in the 1890s. ************ One Catholic priest once declared that he never heard a confession for this sin. This sin is so deadly that the wrath of God comes upon men because of it; a sin so common that probably everybody has at some time been guilty of it; a sin so gross in the sight of God as to be classed with whoremongery [sexual immorality], idolatry, murder, and etc; a sin so subtle that men most guilty of it seem to be most unconscious of it; a sin that has led to the ruin of homes, to the doom of cities, the downfall of kings, the overthrow of empires, the collapse of civilizations, the damnation of an apostle, of ministers of the Gospel, and of millions of less conspicuous men. Men in the h

"And Jonah stalked to his shaded seat and waited for god to come around to his way of thinking and God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs in their comfortable houses to come around to his way of loving." --From Thomas Carlisle’s poem “You Jonah” [ If anyone knows where I can find the full text of this poem, please contact me .]

"There is no greater hindrance to revival than a comfortable pastor settled and satisfied, coasting along until he reaches retirement, who does not want his flock disturbed or the status quo upset. He has long since lost his burden and concern for a mighty upheaval of God among the resters at ease in Zion. He resents any intrusion into the complacency of a sleeping church, and interprets the prophet's call to repentance as an indictment of his own preaching. He is determined not to get excited, assumes a philosophical tolerance of things as they are, and he may speak facetiously of the prophet's seriousness. Sometimes his own people may get under conviction, and put him to shame by a concern he does not seem to feel. This makes it exceedingly difficult for any revivalist calling Christians to repentance, but what a delight when pastor and prophet stand together! Most pastors understand that the traveling prophet can say things the pastor cannot say-that he fills a dif

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“’We don’t want sermons,’ say the program chairmen of many religious meetings today, as well as many editors of religious periodicals and leaders of youth meetings. Sermons are no longer a drawing card. ‘Put on a picture or have a celebrity in the pulpit to pack the house.’ Then maybe the preacher can give a gospel message. But plain, old-fashioned preaching cannot stand on its own, to hear some people tell it. It must have a crutch to get along. My Bible does not say, ‘How shall they hear without a brass band?’ It says, ‘How shall they hear without a preacher?’ If preaching won’t do God’s work, nothing else will. We have fallen upon all sorts of carnal devices to pack the house with the argument that the end justifies the means. It is an admission that we have failed to follow the New Testament pattern. God’s method is to use a Spirit-filled church. Rather than pay the price of being Spirit-filled, we substitute false fire and worldly expedients. It is not the duty of the prea

“Men, for the most part, are not lost enough in their own feeling for a Saviour. A holy despair in ourselves is the ground of true hope. In God the fatherless find mercy ( Hos. 14:3 ); if men were more fatherless, they should feel more God's fatherly affection from heaven, for the God who dwells in the highest heavens dwells likewise in the lowest soul ( Isa. 57:15 ). Christ's sheep are weak sheep, and lacking in something or other; he therefore applies himself to the necessities of every sheep. He seeks that which was lost, and brings again that which was driven out of the way, and binds up that which was broken, and strengthens the weak ( Ezek. 34:16 ). His tenderest care is over the weakest. The lambs he carries in his bosom ( Isa. 40:11 ). He says to Peter, `Feed my lambs' ( John 21:15 ). He was most familiar and open to troubled souls. How careful he was that Peter and the rest of the apostles should not be too much dejected after his resurrection! `Go your wa

Back in 1969, twenty-four people decided to ignore warnings that Hurricane Camille was heading for Mississippi. They were going to ride it out. Twenty-three of them died in the wrath of that hurricane. What a terrible tragedy. If they had taken the warning seriously, they wouldn't have lost their precious lives. The cross is a terrible warning of the fierce hurricane of God's wrath, which no one can "ride out" on Judgment Day. We must never tire of warning every man "that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." He is their only hope. They must, as the Bible says "kiss [kiss toward, do homage to] the Son, lest He be angry, and perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little." There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time. Way of the Master Minute for January 10, 2008.

As part of our daily family devotions, I’ve been reading Spurgeon’s “ Morning and Evening .” For me, each reading is like eating steak and though I read at the beginning of the meal, I sometimes feel so full spiritually I never have seconds (the Spurgeon Diet? No pun intended ). This one was from yesterday morning—don’t plan on reading it quickly (you must chew your food). It may help if you read the passage in context . ************ “ The iniquity of the holy things ." Exodus 28:38 "What a veil is lifted up by these words, and what a disclosure is made! It will be humbling and profitable for us to pause awhile and see this sad sight. The iniquities of our public worship, its hypocrisy, formality, lukewarmness, irreverence, wandering of heart and forgetfulness of God, what a full measure have we there! Our work for the Lord, its emulation, selfishness, carelessness, slackness, unbelief, what a mass of defilement is there! Our private devotions, their laxity, coldness, neglect

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - People living in a Richland County apartment complex have a neighbor to thank after a fire burned out their building. Officials say the fire started at the Bethel Bishop Apartments off of Colonial Drive. Officials say one person potentially saved the lives of everyone living in the building. "Matter of fact, it was one neighbor who noticed the fire and he actually went to the apartments and started knocking on doors making sure that everybody got out," said Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins. Read the rest here . ************ I wonder if he was met with retorts, such as, "I don't believe in fire," or, "the smoke is not real." Maybe someone told the door-banger to shut up and mind his own business, to stop pushing his safety issues and morality on others . . .

"In time of temptation, apprehensive consciences look so much to the present trouble they are in that they need to be roused up to behold him in whom they may find rest for their distressed souls. In temptations it is safest to behold nothing but Christ the true brazen serpent, the true `Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world', (John 1:29). This saving object has a special influence of comfort to the soul, especially if we look not only on Christ, but upon the Father's authority and love in him. For in all that Christ did and suffered as Mediator, we must see God in him reconciling the world unto himself (2 Cor. 5:19). " Richard Sibbes, " The Bruised Reed ."

"Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." ( Exod. 14:13) Often God seems to place His children in positions of profound difficulty—leading them into a wedge from which there is no escape; contriving a situation which no human judgment would have permitted, had it been previously consulted. The very cloud conducts them thither. You may be thus involved at this very hour. It does seem perplexing and very serious to the last degree; but it is perfectly right. The issue will more than justify Him who has brought you hither. It is a platform for the display of His almighty grace and power. He will not only deliver you, but in doing so He will give you a lesson that you will never forget; and to which, in many a psalm and song in after days, you will revert. You will never be able to thank God enough for having done just as He has. (F. B. Meyer) ************ Hardman, S. G., & Moody, D. L. (1998, c1997, c1994, c1990). Thoughts for the quiet hour . Origina

Because you are reading through the Bible again this year ;-) here is a great quote for your encouragement: “God is gracious enough to make promises, and he always keeps the promise He makes. He is a God of steadfast love and faithfulness. Mind you, he does not always fulfill His promises immediately. Abraham and Sarah “died in faith not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar” (Heb. 11:13). That is, although Isaac was born to them in fulfillment of the promise, their seed was not yet numerous, nor was the land given to them, nor were the nations blessed. All God’s promises come true, but they are inherited “through faith and patience” (Heb 6:12). We have to be content to wait for God’s time.” --John R.W. Stott, “ The Living God is a Missionary God .”

My friend over at Front Line Evangelism shared the following tools for evangelism: I.P.O.D. I: Intro - Ice Breaker P: Probe - Ask Questions O: Offer the G.O.S.P.E.L. D: Decision - Make a Choice The G.O.S.P.E.L. G: God created us in His image, for His glory and to have a relationship with Him. O: Our sin separates us from God. The wages of sin is death and the punishment for sin is eternity in the Lake of Fire. S: Sin is breaking God's Laws (The Ten Commandments) and everyone has sinned. P: Proving He is God, Jesus lived the Perfect sinless life, Performed many miracles, fulfilled all the Prophesies, then shedding His blood on the cross He Paid the Price for sin when He died and rose again. Share your personal testimony. E: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, repents of their sin and puts their faith and trust in Jesus shall be forgiven for their sins, reconciled with God, granted Eternal Life and Enter Heaven when they die. L: Love & Life - God showed the dep

The 10/40 Window is an area of the world that contains the largest population of non-Christians in the world. The area extends from 10 degrees to 40 degrees North of the equator, and stretches from North Africa across to China. Who lives there? 105,000,000 Turkic Peoples 16,000,000 East African Cushitics 14,000,000 North African Berbers 60,000,000 Kurdo Iranians 40,000,000 West African Muslims 121,000,000 Southern Chinese 74,000,000 Indo-Malay 80,000,000 Hindustani 800,000,000 Northern Chinese 60,000,000 Arabic 119,000,000 Asian Muslim 121,000,000 Indo China But I think the 10/40 Window includes all those who need to hear the gospel, including America. I believe the following photograph is very symbolic.

“ Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom .” (Psalm 90:12) “I with Thee would begin, O my Savior so dear, on the way that I still must pursue; I with Thee would begin every day granted here, as my earnest resolve I renew—To be and remain Thine forever.” (A Swedish prayer) ************ “Another year is dawning, Dear Father, let it be, in working or in waiting another year with Thee; another year of progress, another year of praise, another year of proving Thy presence all the days. Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace; another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face; another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast; another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest. Another year of service, of witness for Thy love; another year of training for holier work above. Another year of dawning, Dear Father, let it be, on earth, or else in heaven, another year for Thee. Amen.” (Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836–1879)