Be God in your World

Holiness


John the Baptist would never get hired today. No church would touch him. He was a public relations disaster.

Mark 1:6 says he “wore clothes of camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey.”

His message was as rough as his dress. A no-nonsense, bare-fisted challenge to repent because God was on His way. No, John’s style wasn’t smooth. He made few friends and lots of enemies, but what do you know? He made hundreds of converts. How do you explain it? It certainly wasn’t his charisma, nor his money or position—for he had neither. Then what did he have? One word: Holiness.

Holiness seeks to be like God. You want to make a difference in your world? Live a holy life. Be faithful to your spouse. Pay your bills. Be the employee who does the work and doesn’t complain. Don’t speak one message and live another! Just be God in your world.

“…as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16)

From: A Gentle Thunder

God knows MORE

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God Knows More


A young woman wrote to me, “My boyfriend and I split up. I applied for a job and was rejected. Is God even listening to me?

You need to know that God knows more about life than we do! And, yes, He’s listening! One day, my then six-year old said she wanted me leave the ministry. “I just really wish you sold snow cones!” An honest request from an honest heart. To her the happiest people in the world were the guys who drove the snow-cone trucks. I heard her request, but I didn’t heed it. Why? Because I know more about life than she did.

Same with God. God hears our requests. But His answer isn’t always what we’d like it to be. Because He knows more about life than we do? Don’t panic. Don’t bail out. Talk to your heavenly Father. He’s still in control!

“Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.” Philippians 4:6-7

From Max on Life

Tough Questions

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Some questions aren’t always easy to answer. Maybe that’s the way it should be! Here’s just that kind of question:

“I get tired of hearing people brush aside troubles with the platitude in Romans 8:28, ‘All things work together for good.’ Isn’t saying that cruel?”

The verse says, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him.” I think it’s one of the most helpful, comforting verses in the entire Bible. It announces God’s sovereignty in any painful, tragic situation we face. Why? Because we know God is at work for our good! He uses our struggles to build character.

So what do we do? We trust. Totally! And we remember. . .God is working for the good. Yes, any verse can be misused, but that doesn’t make it useless!

From: Max on Life

HE packed You

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All Things New

Can an acorn become a rose? Can a whale fly like a bird? Can lead become gold? I don’t think so!

My dad’s a doctor. My grandfather’s a doctor and everyone expects ME to be a doctor—but I want to study music! God—what am I missing?

You can’t be anything you want to be. But you can be everything God wants you to be. If God didn’t pack within you the people skills of a salesperson, or the world vision of an ambassador, can you be one? An unhappy, dissatisfied one—maybe! God doesn’t pre-fab or mass-produce people.

Revelation 21:5 says God makes all things new! He didn’t hand you your granddad’s bag or your aunt’s life; he personally and deliberately packed you! Live out of the bag God gave you. Enjoy making music!

From Max on Life

Not I have too...I GET too

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Grace Makes All the Difference

If life is… “because I have to”—where’s the joy in that? Too often I hear folks rejecting Christ because they think the Christian life is all about rules and regulations—all about stifling and suffocating ritual.

This happens when we confuse Christ with legalism. Legalism is joyless because it’s endless. There’s always another class to attend. Inmates incarcerated in self-salvation find work, but never joy!

Grace! It makes all the difference. I like this quote: “Gone are the exertions of law-keeping, gone the disciplines of legalism, the anxiety that having done everything we might not have done enough. We reach the goal, not by the stairs, but by the lift—God pledges his promised righteousness to those who will stop trying to save themselves!”1

Grace offers rest. Legalism? Never!

From GRACE

What is your Task?

What’s Your Task?

The Bible says the Lord has assigned to each a task! So what’s yours?

I’m kind of like the airplane pilot before takeoff—I go over my preflight checklist before I take any trips into the unknown. Where has God taken me before? I look at my passport. I remember my experiences. What trips am I passionate about?

We all have different passions and burdens. What’s mine? Am I the pilot, the flight attendant, a mechanic, or a baggage handler? You never see the pilot fixing coffee or the attendant with a screwdriver under the airplane hood. Why? Because we all have something we’re good at. And we’re expected to do that one thing well. What’s your purpose? What task has God assigned to you?

“Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful.” (I Cor 12:5-10 The Message)

From: Max on Life

Jesus is the Lord

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How Can I Know?

Some say, “I have doubts—lots of them. What I want to know is, how can I know I’m truly saved?”

You can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life! Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

First, confess that Jesus is Lord. Say it out loud or quietly in your heart—just believe that Jesus was resurrected. He’s not in the grave. He’s God in the flesh, with power over death! Confess. Believe. You will have salvation!

But remember what the verse doesn’t say! Live perfectly. Can’t do it. Impossible. Just confess and believe. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

From: Max on Life

Wear your colors

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Called to Minister


If you don’t feel called to be a minister and you’re wondering if your life counts for Christ—it does! And you don’t have to put a collar around your neck, eat at every potluck that comes around, or preach long sermons to prove it!

According to Paul, ministers proclaim the gospel everywhere they go; they testify to God’s work in their lives.When you arrive in heaven, I wonder if Christ might say to you, “I’m so proud you let me use you. Because of you, others are here today. Wanna meet’em?” Neighbors, co-workers, friends, strangers, parents, spouse, children, grandchildren—all step forward! Even great-grandchildren, ones you never met are there because you ministered to your kids and to your grandchildren.

Are you a minister? You bet! Can you make a difference? Absolutely.

“I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14)

From: Max on Life

Never 2 LATE

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The Reward of a Lifetime

A person lives to themselves nearly their whole life and then right at the end—they accept Christ and heaven is theirs to enjoy forever! Doesn’t seem fair, does it?

When we accept salvation from Jesus Christ, we all accept the same deal—eternal life with the Savior. If someone accepts Christ at ten years old or at age 85, lying on his deathbed—what’s the difference? Are you envious of God’s generosity? No! We love his generosity. Don’t ever change that, God!

Remember the thieves on the Cross? One thief cursed Jesus, the other defended Him. At the last moment, he said to Jesus: “remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). And Jesus forgave him! The time of forgiveness doesn’t matter! Anytime is the best time to receive Christ! And it is indeed the reward of a lifetime!

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

From Max on Life

Watch TBN GRACE Series - Episode 12 – When Grace Happens

Debt paid in FULL

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Being Saved

What does it mean to be saved? I think the best answer to that question is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Who’d watch someone they love step toward a pit and not stop them before they plunged into darkness? God loves you so much, he wants to save you—from the world, from Satan, from yourself! But the debt is too big to pay on your own! So Jesus did all the work two thousand years ago on a cross! So, what’s next? Believe! Believe that Jesus died for you and me. Our sin bill—paid in full! You are set free—to enjoy life eternal with your Savior himself!

From Max on Life

REST

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You Can Rest Now

We so fear failure that we create the image of perfection. The result? The weariest people on earth. Attempts at self-salvation guarantee nothing but exhaustion. We scamper and scurry, trying to please God, collecting merit badges, and scowling at anyone who questions our accomplishments.

Hebrews 13:9 says, “Your hearts should be strengthened by God’s grace, not by obeying rules.” Jesus doesn’t say, “Come to me, all you who are perfect and sinless.” Just the opposite. “Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Let grace happen, for heaven’s sake. No more performance for God, no more clamoring after God. Of all the things you must earn in life, God’s unending affection is not one of them. You have it. You can rest now!

From GRACE

Who is your MODEL?

Christ – The Hope of Glory

The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: grace! We talk as though we understand the term. But do we really understand it? Here’s my hunch: we’ve settled for wimpy grace. It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?”—who could say no?

Ah, but grace is huge! Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off. When grace happens, it’s not a nice compliment from God we receive but a new heart. Give your heart to Christ, and he returns the favor. When grace happens, Christ enters. “Christ in you, the hope of glory!”

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27″

From GRACE

GRACE

Christ – The Hope of Glory

The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: grace! We talk as though we understand the term. But do we really understand it? Here’s my hunch: we’ve settled for wimpy grace. It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?”—who could say no?

Ah, but grace is huge! Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off. When grace happens, it’s not a nice compliment from God we receive but a new heart. Give your heart to Christ, and he returns the favor. When grace happens, Christ enters. “Christ in you, the hope of glory!”

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27″

From GRACE

Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late ! !

The  following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS  Sunday  Morning  Commentary.

My confession: 

I don't like getting pushed around for being a  Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for  being Christians.  I think people who believe in God are  sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.  I have no  idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly  atheist country.  I can't find it in the Constitution and I  don't like it being shoved down my throat...

Or maybe I  can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we  should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God  as we understand Him?  I guess that's a sign that I'm  getting old, too.  But there are a lot of us who are  wondering where these celebrities came from and where the   America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we  send to one another for a laugh, this is a little  different:  This is not intended to be a joke; it's not  funny, it's intended to get you thinking. 
    In  light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings,  etc..  I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she  was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she  didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.  Then  someone said you better not read the Bible in school...   The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and  love your neighbor as yourself.  And we said  OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our  children when they misbehave, because their little personalities  would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr.  Spock's son committed suicide).  We said an expert should  know what he's talking about..  And we said  okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have  no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it  doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and  themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard  enough, we can figure it out.  I think it has a great deal  to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is  for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to  hell.  Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but  question what the Bible says.  Funny how you can send  'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when  you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think  twice about sharing.  Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and  obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public  discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. 

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward  this message, you will not send it to many on your address list  because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will  think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more  worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks  of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.
  
If not, then just discard it... no one will know you  did.  But, if you discard this thought , don't sit  back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.  

My Best Regards,  Honestly and  respectfully,

Ben  Stein