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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Learning to let God use you...

Learning to Let God Use You.

I've long been convinced that every person has a talent; every person has a
gift that they can use for God. It might be an ability to do only one thing
for one person or you might be able to do a lot of good things for a lot of
people. It may be the ability to serve and please God in a personal way, but
everyone has something.

I have also been long convinced that the greatest problem people have in
using there talents is just doing it. If we have a problem it is the fact
that you need to make your life accessible to God to use whatever you have.

I read about a man who applied for a job as a handyman. The prospective
employer asked, "Can you do carpentry?" The man answered in the negative."
How about bricklaying?" Again the man answered, "No." The employer asked,
"Well, what about electrical work?" The man said "No, I don't know anything
about that either."

Finally the employer said, "Well, tell me then what is handy about you." The
man replied, "I live just around the corner."

Sometimes the greatest ability we can have is availability. To be where God
can call us, and be ready to respond to his summons. That is the greatest
asset a disciple of Christ can have.

In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus tells a story about a master giving three servants
different amounts of money to manage for him. The first two did alright;
they used the money (called Talents) wisely. The third man didn't use it
wisely, but buried it so it wouldn't be stolen. Jesus concludes the story
with these words:

(And the third servant said) "I was in fear, and went away, and buried your
money in the ground: here is what is yours. But his lord in answer said to
him, You are a bad and unready servant; if you had knowledge that I get in
grain where I did not put seed, and make profits for which I have done no
work, Why, then, did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I
would have got back what is mine with interest? Take away, then, his talent
and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be
given, and he will have more: but from him who has not, even what he has
will be taken away. And put out the servant who is of no profit into the
outer dark: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow." (Matthew 25:25-30).

What's the moral of the story? God expects us to use what he gives us wisely
and help increase the blessings to the kingdom. How handy are you at doing
that?

Russ Lawson

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Forgotten promises

On September 11, four passenger airliners were hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda
terrorists so they could be flown into buildings in suicide attacks, (also
referred to as 9/11). These were a series of four coordinated terrorist
attacks launched by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda upon the United
States in New York City and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area on
Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The attacks killed almost 3,000 people and
caused at least $10 billion in property and infrastructure damage. (In part
from Wikipedia.)

I'm passionate as I remember these events. I remember clearly watching the
Morning New Programs that morning and seeing these events play out. I called
my father and mother and told them to turn on the news and see what was
happening. I remember the panic this caused in our community. People started
panic buying thinking it was the beginning of a war. Cars and trucks lined
up at gas stations believing there would be a shortage and I remember the
gas stations taking advantage of the panic and marking the gas up to $10 per
gallon.

I also remember the change in our society that took place at that time.
Suddenly people realized that they needed something they couldn't provide
for themselves, something their jobs and their money couldn't provide. They
needed hope! They needed assurance that there was someone who could offer
them what they could not find anywhere else.

In droves people flooded into the churches of our land. There were prayer
vigils that lasted all night long, there were special services and
gatherings in the churches throughout our land, hoping and praying for
assurance. There were thousands of people who made promises to God that they
would change their lives, they recommitted themselves to the values which
are found in God's Word. It was a nation wide revival!

I also remember that the fear that fueled this revival soon was lost when
people realized it wasn't the end of the world, that it wasn't World War
three. I remember all of the broken promises which were made to God. I
remember all of the commitments that weren't commitments at all, only a
kneejerk reaction.

No, people haven't forgotten 9/11, but they have forgotten that God needs to
be a part of their lives every day, not just in times of crisis.

Let each of us remember 9/11 and the terrible things that took place with
both anger and sorrow for what was done. But perhaps some of that anger and
sorrow needs to motivate us to repentance as we remember we have abandoned
our promises to God. If you don't, then don't be surprised when he abandons
you in your time of need.

The writer of proverbs shares God's thoughts about this with us in Proverbs
1:24-28. Listen to his words. "But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard
all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when
disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you when calamity
overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you. Then they will call to me but I
will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me." (NIV)

Russ Lawson

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Bible words associated with salvation

1. Salvation/Saved

2. Atonement

3. Justification

4. Redemption/Redeemed

5. Reconciliation

6. Propitiation

7. Forgiveness

 

How to be saved

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