October 8, 2006
Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see. This was passed on to me from another pumpkin. Now, it is your turn to pass it to a pumpkin. I liked this enough to send it to all the pumpkins in my patch. Happy Fall!
ARE YOU PUSHED OR PUSHING?
How long would you keep an automobile that had to be pushed everywhere it went? How much would it be worth t you? How much pleasure would you find in it? You probably wouldn't keep a car like that very long, because it just couldn't be depended on to get you where you wanted to go, when you wanted to go.
The Lord is no more pleased with one of His servants that continually has to be pushed than you would be with an automobile that continually needs pushing.
God wants men and women of initiative and fervency of spirit. Paul taught us to be diligent, "not slothful...fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11)
A Christian that has to be pushed continually in order to keep him in service and attending worship is not devoted to Christ. It is understandable that a new convert might need to be pushed or encouraged, but if one who has been a Christian for many years must still be pushed, he is not growing spiritually as he should. He is not spiritually mature. Do
you have to be pushed? --Author Unknown
DON'T GIVE UP!
Your life is not a boring stretch of highway. It's a straight line to heaven. And just look at the fields ripening along the way. Look at the tenacity and endurance. Look at the grains of righteousness. You'll have quite a crop at harvest ... so don't give up! --Joni Eareckson Tada
GOD IN THE QUIETNESS
Recently, my hunger for some silence and solitude in my fast-paced life led me to a quiet monastery perched above the Pacific Ocean. After arriving, I sat on a bench overlooking the vast coastline 1,000 feet below. I beheld a vibrant, flaming pink sunset -- breathtaking, majestic, and powerful, yet at the same time, completely silent.
The quiet was a vivid contrast to what I had been experiencing. When we feel overwhelmed, we tend to move faster, become impatient, strive harder to stay in control. We seek to work things out for ourselves and turn to personal sources of strength instead of God. Like the Israelites, who were quick to trust in sources of power apart from God (horses, chariots, alliances), we are quick to trust in our own strength, our own resources,
our own abilities.
Yet God calls us to a different way. When we are caught up in busyness and striving, God calls us back to wait in quiet confidence until we can place our trust in God rather than our own efforts.
Lord, when we feel life is out of control, help us return to you. We repent of trusting in and depending upon any source of strength apart from you. We wait for your strength and your deliverance. Amen. --Stacey Padrick, "The Upper Room," date unknown
Peace with God is where all peace begins. --Jim Gallery
A new study, the National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance, shows that the U.S. health care system is fragmented, wasteful and in some cases dangerous, and is particularly poor at serving the very young and the very old.
Despite the fact that the United States spends more on health care than any other country, it has the highest infant mortality rate among nearly two dozen industrialized nations, and the lowest life expectancy after 60.
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!
You are so special!
Americans' Religious Beliefs
A new survey on Americans' religious beliefs, "American Piety in the 21st Century," was published this month by Baylor University and reported in the Weekly Standard. According to the survey, 82 percent of Americans are Christians, 90 percent believe in God, 70 percent pray regularly and half attend church at least once a month.
The denominational affiliations of Americans have become somewhat less structured and are drifting towards more informal forms of evangelical Christianity, says the Baylor survey. Results showed that about one in ten Americans is not religiously affiliated. This figure represents 10 million people.
Many of the 10 million Americans who had previously and inaccurately been counted as non-religious actually belong to evangelical Christianity, which now accounts for one-third of the American population and is the nation's largest religious demographic. Mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics account for a little over one-fifth each. Members of black Protestant churches account for five percent and Jews for 2.5 percent. Frustratingly, the Baylor survey lumped together all other categories — Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus — which together account for less than five percent.
Even among that 10 percent who are firmly nonaffiliated, 60 percent believe in God or a higher power and one-third pray regularly. Ten percent of the unaffiliated are attending church regularly and ten percent believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Not surprisingly, 95 percent of black Protestants and evangelicals believe that Jesus is God's Son, while 85 percent of Catholics and 75 percent of mainline Protestants believe the same. Intriguingly, so too do 10 percent of Jews. Black Protestants and evangelicals are twice as likely to attend church weekly as mainline Protestants and Catholics. They are also four times more likely to read the Bible on a weekly basis than are mainliners, and eight times more likely to do so than the Catholics.
Tweens
The majority of children between the ages of 8 and 12 have positive feelings toward their family which influence their behavior, according to a recent study by the Barna Research Group. The study surprisingly reveals that less than 50 percent of the children surveyed view church as an important or influential part of their lives.
* Less than four out of every ten young people (38%) said that churches have made a positive difference in their lives.
* Only 34 percent said that prayer is very important to them.
* A minority of pre-teens (43%) rejected the notion that they would rather be popular than do what is morally right.
This study underscored the importance of age 12 as a transition time for kids. At that point, young people are notably vulnerable to losing trust in their parents, losing interest in family activities, leaning more toward popularity than morality and questioning their future.
"One of the more significant outcomes of the study," Barna noted, "was the challenge to churches. While most kids in the 8-to-12 age range are involved in a church, relatively few of them consider church experiences to be valuable. This is confirmed by the fact that so few kids consider prayer to be a critical part of their lives. Parents must take the lead in establishing the centrality of faith experiences and practices for their children. That begins with parents modeling the significance of faith in their lives. It also highlights the importance of families taking the lead in the spiritual development process, rather than expecting or waiting for a church to produce spiritual growth in adolescents."
Quilt http://www.gzquilt.com/
Some beautiful launch photos, http://www.ktb.net/~billmeco/sts114A.html
http://oldbluewebdesigns.com/mybeautifulamerica.htm
"When Jesus went home, he left the door open." - Max Lucado
Little Johnny and two of his best friends were bragging about how tough they were.
"Why, I'm so tough", said Bobby, "that I can wear out a pair of shoes in a week".
"Well", said Billy, "I'm so tough, I can wear out a pair of jeans in a day".
"Oh, that's nothing", said Little Johnny. "When my parents take me to see my grandma and grampa, I can wear them out in a hour".
When I grow up I want to be a pilot because it's a fun job and easy to do. That's why there are so many pilots flying around these days. Pilots don't need much school. They just have to learn to read numbers so they can read their instruments. I guess they should be able to read a road map, too. Pilots should be brave to they won't get scared it it's foggy and they
can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off. Pilots have to have good eyes to see through the clouds, and they can't be afraid of thunder or lightning because they are much closer to them than we are. The salary pilots make is another thing I like. They make more money
than they know what to do with. This is because most people think that flying a plane is dangerous, except pilots don't because they know how easy it is. I hope I don't get airsick because I get carsick and if I get airsick, I couldn't be a pilot and then I would have to go to work.
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." -- William Ward
"What would you do, how would you change your life, if you learned today that you only had six months to live?" -- Brian Tracy
"Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway." -- Mary Kay Ash
"There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less." -- Philip Yancey
"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." -- William James
"The bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you forget to make the turn."
ARE YOU PUSHED OR PUSHING?
How long would you keep an automobile that had to be pushed everywhere it went? How much would it be worth t you? How much pleasure would you find in it? You probably wouldn't keep a car like that very long, because it just couldn't be depended on to get you where you wanted to go, when you wanted to go.
The Lord is no more pleased with one of His servants that continually has to be pushed than you would be with an automobile that continually needs pushing.
God wants men and women of initiative and fervency of spirit. Paul taught us to be diligent, "not slothful...fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11)
A Christian that has to be pushed continually in order to keep him in service and attending worship is not devoted to Christ. It is understandable that a new convert might need to be pushed or encouraged, but if one who has been a Christian for many years must still be pushed, he is not growing spiritually as he should. He is not spiritually mature. Do
you have to be pushed? --Author Unknown
DON'T GIVE UP!
Your life is not a boring stretch of highway. It's a straight line to heaven. And just look at the fields ripening along the way. Look at the tenacity and endurance. Look at the grains of righteousness. You'll have quite a crop at harvest ... so don't give up! --Joni Eareckson Tada
GOD IN THE QUIETNESS
Recently, my hunger for some silence and solitude in my fast-paced life led me to a quiet monastery perched above the Pacific Ocean. After arriving, I sat on a bench overlooking the vast coastline 1,000 feet below. I beheld a vibrant, flaming pink sunset -- breathtaking, majestic, and powerful, yet at the same time, completely silent.
The quiet was a vivid contrast to what I had been experiencing. When we feel overwhelmed, we tend to move faster, become impatient, strive harder to stay in control. We seek to work things out for ourselves and turn to personal sources of strength instead of God. Like the Israelites, who were quick to trust in sources of power apart from God (horses, chariots, alliances), we are quick to trust in our own strength, our own resources,
our own abilities.
Yet God calls us to a different way. When we are caught up in busyness and striving, God calls us back to wait in quiet confidence until we can place our trust in God rather than our own efforts.
Lord, when we feel life is out of control, help us return to you. We repent of trusting in and depending upon any source of strength apart from you. We wait for your strength and your deliverance. Amen. --Stacey Padrick, "The Upper Room," date unknown
Peace with God is where all peace begins. --Jim Gallery
A new study, the National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance, shows that the U.S. health care system is fragmented, wasteful and in some cases dangerous, and is particularly poor at serving the very young and the very old.
Despite the fact that the United States spends more on health care than any other country, it has the highest infant mortality rate among nearly two dozen industrialized nations, and the lowest life expectancy after 60.
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!
You are so special!
Americans' Religious Beliefs
A new survey on Americans' religious beliefs, "American Piety in the 21st Century," was published this month by Baylor University and reported in the Weekly Standard. According to the survey, 82 percent of Americans are Christians, 90 percent believe in God, 70 percent pray regularly and half attend church at least once a month.
The denominational affiliations of Americans have become somewhat less structured and are drifting towards more informal forms of evangelical Christianity, says the Baylor survey. Results showed that about one in ten Americans is not religiously affiliated. This figure represents 10 million people.
Many of the 10 million Americans who had previously and inaccurately been counted as non-religious actually belong to evangelical Christianity, which now accounts for one-third of the American population and is the nation's largest religious demographic. Mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics account for a little over one-fifth each. Members of black Protestant churches account for five percent and Jews for 2.5 percent. Frustratingly, the Baylor survey lumped together all other categories — Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus — which together account for less than five percent.
Even among that 10 percent who are firmly nonaffiliated, 60 percent believe in God or a higher power and one-third pray regularly. Ten percent of the unaffiliated are attending church regularly and ten percent believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Not surprisingly, 95 percent of black Protestants and evangelicals believe that Jesus is God's Son, while 85 percent of Catholics and 75 percent of mainline Protestants believe the same. Intriguingly, so too do 10 percent of Jews. Black Protestants and evangelicals are twice as likely to attend church weekly as mainline Protestants and Catholics. They are also four times more likely to read the Bible on a weekly basis than are mainliners, and eight times more likely to do so than the Catholics.
Tweens
The majority of children between the ages of 8 and 12 have positive feelings toward their family which influence their behavior, according to a recent study by the Barna Research Group. The study surprisingly reveals that less than 50 percent of the children surveyed view church as an important or influential part of their lives.
* Less than four out of every ten young people (38%) said that churches have made a positive difference in their lives.
* Only 34 percent said that prayer is very important to them.
* A minority of pre-teens (43%) rejected the notion that they would rather be popular than do what is morally right.
This study underscored the importance of age 12 as a transition time for kids. At that point, young people are notably vulnerable to losing trust in their parents, losing interest in family activities, leaning more toward popularity than morality and questioning their future.
"One of the more significant outcomes of the study," Barna noted, "was the challenge to churches. While most kids in the 8-to-12 age range are involved in a church, relatively few of them consider church experiences to be valuable. This is confirmed by the fact that so few kids consider prayer to be a critical part of their lives. Parents must take the lead in establishing the centrality of faith experiences and practices for their children. That begins with parents modeling the significance of faith in their lives. It also highlights the importance of families taking the lead in the spiritual development process, rather than expecting or waiting for a church to produce spiritual growth in adolescents."
Quilt http://www.gzquilt.com/
Some beautiful launch photos, http://www.ktb.net/~billmeco/sts114A.html
http://oldbluewebdesigns.com/mybeautifulamerica.htm
"When Jesus went home, he left the door open." - Max Lucado
Little Johnny and two of his best friends were bragging about how tough they were.
"Why, I'm so tough", said Bobby, "that I can wear out a pair of shoes in a week".
"Well", said Billy, "I'm so tough, I can wear out a pair of jeans in a day".
"Oh, that's nothing", said Little Johnny. "When my parents take me to see my grandma and grampa, I can wear them out in a hour".
When I grow up I want to be a pilot because it's a fun job and easy to do. That's why there are so many pilots flying around these days. Pilots don't need much school. They just have to learn to read numbers so they can read their instruments. I guess they should be able to read a road map, too. Pilots should be brave to they won't get scared it it's foggy and they
can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off. Pilots have to have good eyes to see through the clouds, and they can't be afraid of thunder or lightning because they are much closer to them than we are. The salary pilots make is another thing I like. They make more money
than they know what to do with. This is because most people think that flying a plane is dangerous, except pilots don't because they know how easy it is. I hope I don't get airsick because I get carsick and if I get airsick, I couldn't be a pilot and then I would have to go to work.
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." -- William Ward
"What would you do, how would you change your life, if you learned today that you only had six months to live?" -- Brian Tracy
"Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway." -- Mary Kay Ash
"There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less." -- Philip Yancey
"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." -- William James
"The bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you forget to make the turn."
posted by joypastordon at 1:45 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home