March 11, 2010

 

Here's an update of what we're doing!!!

 

When we announced the discontinuance of "Christian Voices" last spring, there were about 10,300 subscribers around the world in over 100 countries. Now that "Christian Voices" is back, it has been extremely difficult contacting all those former subscribers. As I write this note, we presently have only 2,300 subscribers and about 100 of those are brand new subscribers. We are continuing to find ways to contact former subscribers to bring them back.

 

Yes, we "very much" encourage you to send us email addresses. We screen and compare the new addresses against a list of previously contacted addresses, in order to send out "Invitations" to subscribe to "Christian Voices". No individual email address is "Invited" more than once! So, please, send us as many addresses as you can. Don't worry about cleaning up the emails and addresses - I have programs that do that and that also remove duplicates. Invitations are sent out by the hundreds and I have no idea who sent what addresses to me. Email addresses are not given away, nor sold, nor otherwise provided to anyone!!! Please help us out on this and send us as many email addresses as you can throughout the year!

 

Help us reach as many as possible around the world before it's too late. Every day we read of major earthquakes, tidal waves, flooding, droughts, crops freezing, and other weather situations. Today we heard in the news that Australia had an amount of rain in one day that the country normally receives for an entire year. British Columbia had to bring in snow for the Winter Olympics, and yet the fruit crop in Florida is freezing. The world political situation is chaotic and power struggles are everywhere. There are millions of people around the world who don't know Jesus Christ. They don't know about His great love for us nor the joy of salvation. There are a lot of seeds to be sowed. We have a lot of work to do. Will you help?

 

It "truly" bothers me to ask, but we must. We need your financial support. We would like to receive enough contributions during this month to carry us through the rest of this year so we don't have to ask again. Then we can concentrate on preparing more great issues of "Christian Voices" and you will be able to receive them without so many "notes". Please send to "Christian Voices", P.O. Box 1002, La Vergne, TN 37086; or through PayPal to "Christian Voices" (at ChristianVoices@att.net). Many thanks!!!!!

 

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HUMOR

Exchanges between pilots and  control towers Tower: "Delta 351, you have traffic at 10  o'clock, 6 miles!" Delta 351: "Give us another hint! We have digital watches!"   Tower: "TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45  Degrees." TWA  2341: "Center, we are  at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?" Tower: "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a  727?"   A DC-10 had come in a little hot and thus had an  exceedingly long roll out after touching down. San Jose Tower Noted: "American 751, make a  hard right turn at the end of the runway, if you are able. If you are not  able, take the  Guadeloupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights and return to the airport."   One day the pilot of  a Cherokee 180 was told by the tower to hold short of the active runway while a DC-8 landed. The DC-8 landed, rolled out, turned around, and taxied back  past the Cherokee. Some quick-witted comedian in the DC-crew got on the  radio and said, "What  a cute little plane. Did you make it all by yourself?" The Cherokee pilot, not about to let the insult go  by, came back with a real zinger: "I made it out of DC-8 parts. Another landing like yours and  I'll have enough parts for another one."

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THOUGHT PROVOKING – INSPIRATIONAL

 

 

A FATHER’S FORGIVENESS

 

When I was a boy I always wanted to be a cowboy. I remember my Mom worrying about me getting sick from the heat in the summer, because I wore a thick blue sweater all the time. No respectable cowboy, however, would wear short sleeves so I sweated while I played.

 

I was overjoyed too when one day my parents gave me a bb gun. It looked just like a lever action rifle that all the cowboys used in the movies. I spent hours each day during those summer months shooting at stumps and pretending to be John Wayne. I even mastered the one-handed, swing, cock and shoot move I had seen him do in a movie once. At least that is what I thought. As I was coming into the house one afternoon, though, I tried it one time too many. The gun that I thought was empty let out a soft pop and a bb flew across the room and parted the hair of my Dad who was asleep on the couch. My Dad took one look at the bb hole a half inch above his head, walked over to me, took my gun, walked outside, and calmly broke it in half.

 

I didn’t cry too much over this. I knew how close I had come to hurting my Dad with my stupidity. I didn’t expect to ever get another bb gun either. That is why I was so surprised when my Dad bought me another one the next year. I guess he thought I had wised up enough to know how to use it this time. I never put a single bb in the new gun, but in my imagination John Wayne rode again.

 

I eventually outgrew my cowboy stage, but I never did outgrow my appreciation for my Father’s forgiveness. He showed me that even when I messed up in the worse way I was still loved. He gave me another chance and let me know that I was forgiven whether I deserved it or not. He shared with me some of the unconditional love and forgiveness that our Father in Heaven has for us all. May we always embrace and share that love and forgiveness as well.

 

.....Joseph J. Mazzella (joemazzella@frontier.com) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

 

 

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A Boy and His Lunch

 

God is looking for people to stand in the gap. Take the disciples, who were instructed to find food for the hungry multitude - they panicked.

 

It's as if they looked at the massive need and it was bigger than they could comprehend. They worried about how they were going to pull this off, feeding some 20,000 people. (5,000 men plus the women and children)   Regardless of the odds, the disciples went out into the crowd in search of food.

 

I wonder if the more they talked to the people, the more they were discouraged. Obviously, no one planned ahead and everyone was hungry and they were getting closer to the kid with the bread and fish. The boy is the only one with food and they're closing in on him and he probably is sitting on his lunch by now. He figures a squashed lunch versus no lunch is still a meal. 

 

The only person who didn't need a miracle was the little boy,

but God was about to use him in a mighty way.

 

A small child standing in the crowd - and God chose him.  You are either a person who needs a miracle, like those who were hungry, or you are like the little boy who didn't really need a miracle, but God can use you in his work.

 

Often we hold onto our security because it seems what God is asking is impossible. We question the "how" or the "why" only to let the moment pass us by. The obstacle seems too big and the questions even bigger. Have you ever missed a miracle from God because you just couldn't comprehend it? Can you imagine how many opportunities have slipped by you?

 

I can just see this kid running home after the feast of fish and loaves. His Mom asks him about his day as he runs into the kitchen. He says, "Mom, you are not going to believe what happened." She says, "I know you were excited to see Jesus. Something was bothering me today after I packed your lunch this morning, and I was worried because I don't think I gave you enough food."

 

She touches his chin and asks, "Was it enough?'

 

The boy leaps up and down saying, "I gave it to Jesus and He fed so many people, thousands. My lunch fed thousands. And we still had 12 baskets of food left over after everyone ate."

 

The boy will never forget the day God used him. And neither will you if you allow Him to use you. However, nothing will ever happen until you get the lunch out of your hand. We must open the bag and look inside, and see what it is we have to share.

 

You can always trust Jesus with whatever you have.  Open the bag, give it to Him and He will multiply it!

 

.....Pam Krumpke by way of The Daily Encourager (dlangerfeld@HarrisburgBaptist.org) and "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

 

 

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The official web site for "Christian Voices" is www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net.

Please don't be confused by others

who have web sites of similar names.

 

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