April 19, 2010
HUMOR
While serving as church usher, I was carrying out our tradition of escorting parishioners to their seats before the service began. After I returned to the entrance of the sanctuary to escort the next party, I greeted two strangers and asked where they would like to sit.
Looking confused, the young man smiled and said, "Non-smoking, please."
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Harry hosted a dinner party. One of his guests was a surgeon.
While deftly carving the roast, Harry kept up a running commentary: "How am I doing, Doc? How do you like that technique? I'd make a pretty good surgeon, don't you think?"
When Harry had finished and the slices of meat lay neatly on the serving platter, the surgeon spoke up: "Anybody can take them apart, Harry. Now let's see you put them back together again."
.....Mikey's Funnies (http://www.mikeysFunnies.com) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)
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THOUGHT PROVOKING – INSPIRATIONAL
TAKE IT WITH YOU
….and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph 6:17
Most days when I leave home I have my cell phone glued to me. In the unlikely event that I forget to take it with me, I turn around and go back and get it if possible.
For a lot of years I got along fine without a cellular phone. "What's so important about having it now", I asked myself just this week, "especially all the time?" There is something more important to have when I leave home – or even at home. Armor, spiritual armor.
When Paul wrote a letter to the people at a church in Ephesus, he closed it with an important wrap-up, instructions on putting on this armor, and what it's for. You never know what a day will bring. It is a more-than-good idea to not leave home without it, your spiritual armor.
A final word... put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared..hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.' Ephesians 6: 10-17
.....Sally I. Kennedy (http://www.sallyikennedy.com) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net) Sally is a songwriter, and author of Irish Thursdays, Words from the Heart, and 52 Little Parables from Ireland. She lives in south Florida, with her husband Ben.
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POP QUIZ
"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands" (Deuteronomy 8:2 NIV).
This is a test. Those words bring a tinge of anxiety. Whether it's an announcement from the Emergency Broadcast System-"You'll be instructed where to tune in case of an actual emergency." Or, it's a teacher who clears her throat-"Please take out a blank sheet of paper for a pop quiz." Or, it's a period in your life when you feel like God has forgotten
you.
Maybe you are being tested now. Is your ordeal a difficult boss? The possibility of a layoff? Performing the work that four people used to do? Are you having trouble with a friend? Your wife? Maybe your finances are out of whack. Are you continually under the gun of insufficient funds? Could it be a real examination at school? Not one with multiple choices dealing with math or geography, but one related to the real life issues of expectations and progress?
A test is a difficult experience through which a person's true values, commitments, and beliefs are revealed. Test is a very important word in the Old Testament. A test was to prove or to evidence the character and faith of God's people.
The depth of one's love will be measured by their willingness to follow Christ in difficult and trying circumstances. By the way, a test was always reserved for people of faith, never for the ungodly. Even though tests are painful and unwelcome; they are an act of love. Tests prove our faith and God's goodness.
While tests are not necessarily pleasant times, they are learning times. During our times of testing our spiritual muscles are stretched, our faith is strengthened and our character is forged. God's tests are designed to develop us into men and women of strong spiritual resolve. Let's face it; our spiritual roots grow deeper when the winds assault and the storms assail. Take away the tests, and we become spiritual wimps.
Our tests - physical, financial, emotional, or vocational - have a spiritual component. Each test will determine if we trust God. Will we depend on God's unfailing love, understand his perfect salvation and experience his wonderful goodness?
.....Copyright by Rick Ezell, 2009 (www.rickezell.net) by way of Cup O'Cheer (cheer316@sc.rr.com) and "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.com) Dr. Rick Ezell is a husband, father, author, pastor, consultant, coach, conference leader, and communicator. Rick has a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Master of Theology in Preaching from Southern Baptist Seminary. He has published over 450 articles and sermons in various Christian publications. While authoring six books he has served over twenty years in pastoral ministry. Rick, Cindy, and Bailey reside in Greer, South Carolina.
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