…your life has new meaning!
Ask fifty people to finish the statement "Live As If" and you are likely to get fifty different answers. For Christians it will mean something different than for non-Christians. Incorporated into the top graphic are the answers given by friends of mine. It is our desire that your answer will be different each time you visit.
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Hypocrite!
''Winging It' from Stan Smith
It appears that we've shifted another word definition -- "hypocrisy". It is a popular accusation against many people with morals, Christians especially. But just what is it?
The word used to mean "a feigning to be what one is not : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue." The word comes from the Greek, hupokrisis, which was actually a theatrical term. It referred to the masks that actors wore when they played a part in a play. That's the idea: putting on a mask. Appearing to be what you are not. (Thus the "feigning" in the original definition.)…
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Courting Christ: Bear Him Children
'The Way' from Kevin Pauley
I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples. – John 15:5-8 (HCSB)
Probably the greatest drive in women is the need to bear children. It is so common…
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Justification XIV (3-3-11)
'Today's Little Lift' from Jim Bullington
The Blind Man Came Back Seeing! This is the turning point of this message and lynch pin of the entire New Testament. Had he come back not seeing, it would have proved Jesus to be an impostor. However, the fact that He came back seeing is proof in and of itself that Jesus is the Son of God and it guarantees that what He claims to be and to be able to do are real and factual claims!
“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'Neither…
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A Vision from God Motivates and Inspires Passion
'Word from Scotland' from Sandy Shaw
Habakkuk Chapter 2 verse 14 is crucial, in the light of what we have been reading. The future belongs to God.
Verses 15 to 17 - we see how sin boomerangs. Woe to the callous. We will give them wine to drink - so much wine - that they will cavort around naked – that will……
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Tangled Web
'Refreshment in Refuge' from Gina Burgess
“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive” (Scott, 1808).
Frankly, we are all guilty. (James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.) The question remains though: Should public officials, pastors, and ministerial staff be held to a higher standard? Is there any lie that is okay for any of these guys to tell?
Let’s take a look at a few examples…
Corrie Ten Boom tells of a family who were hiding Jews from the Nazis. The grandmother of the household was so nervous…
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National Healing
''Christ in You...'' from Dale Krebbs
Regardless of national and world conditions at any particular time, there is one eternal truth that never changes. God in the Person of Jesus Christ is in control of the earth - yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever. However, down through recorded history, He has allowed nations to progress closer to God's ways or to slowly distance themselves. No nation or people live in a vacuum. Some seem to feel that the world is their place to play with and conduct themselves as they please. And so it seems to be unless one considers and believes Biblical history. The Bible has had much…
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Off Center
'Voice of Inspiration' from Andy Castro
It was dark thirty in the morning; I was looking at dimly lit street lights leading to an unfamiliar destination. Anxiously sipping from a cup of biting java, I waited for the traffic light gods to release me from the red light. While waiting, I focused on the GPS, scrolling to my next left and right, hoping I could get……
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Religion and the Presidency
'Inspiration For You' from Randy Mitchell
As we head into General Election campaign mode with Mitt Romney driving toward becoming the Republican nominee, something which is unsurprisingly hitting the headlines fast and furious is discussions over his religious beliefs. Here’s my question: Should they really matter?
Mitt Romney is a Mormon. And in our land of religious freedom, he’s certainly entitled to his beliefs. I am a Christian, and what Mr. Romney believes is somewhat different than me. Truthfully, I don’t fully understand the teachings of the Mormon Church. But, that’s okay, because come…
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Bible and Quote - March 15-19
'Bible verse and quote' from Jan Couns
He shall judge the world in righteousness; And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness. Psalm 9:8
Weaving throughout the fabric of life, camouflaged from the inattentive eye of man, God administers perfect justice with methodical and meticulous timing.
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9
As the ships when vexed with tempest make for harbour, so do the oppressed hasten to the wings of a just and gracious God. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1834-92, British Reformed Baptist, highly influential amongst Christians…
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The Sabbath
'God's Words For US' from Cecelia Lester
“On the seventh day, God finished the work he had been doing;
so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.”
Genesis 2:2 (NIV)
God instituted the action of honoring the Sabbath as he finished creating the earth. At the end of each day and each phase of creation, He said his work was good.
(Genesis 1:10,12, 18,21, 25,31)
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall
labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the
Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you,
nor…
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How's Your Education?
'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' from Tom Kelley
Art Linkletter used to have a program on TV called "People Are Funny." If you watch people long enough you will agree. Just this past evening I saw something that I never thought I would see on a game show. My wife and I had just finished supper and we sat down to watch "Wheel of Fortune."
One of the puzzles was particularly difficult for the contestants and they bought every vowel they could. Which meant that the last consonent completely solved the puzzle to the point where all that had to be done to win was read. The woman who inserted the last consonent was looking at…
Our society has gone low carb crazy. With the influx of Adkins and South Beach diet enthusiastists, people are weighing in on the benefits of lowering the intake of carbohydrates. I can stand in testimony that as long as you stay on the diet you will lose weight and be able to manage it. But if you go off the diet the weight will come back. No diet works without a life change which supports staying on the diet.In early…
Daily Refractions
Words to Ponder
An American evangelist, John Morrison, returned home after preaching in many countries where he had brought tens of thousands to Christ. He happened to travel on the same ship as President Theodore Roosevelt, who was returning from a hunting expedition in Africa where he had shot a number of wild hogs. On the dock at New York thousands cheered. Whom would you say they cheered? Of course they cheered the killer of hogs, who was also the president of the United States. No one was interested in the man who had saved souls. They traveled on the same train. On the station platform again thousands cheered Roosevelt, not Morrison. An evangelist is human. Morrison felt envy and discontent growing within him. 'Is this all the welcome I get when I return home after such an exhaustive journey?' he fretted. A divine voice corrected him: 'You are not yet home.' - Richard Wurmbrand (1909-2001)
'Daily Reading Plan'
from StudyLight.org
Bible-in-a-Year — NAS
Leviticus 7-8; Proverbs 22; Matthew 10:1-25:
'In the place where they slaughter the burnt offering they are to slaughter the guilt offering, and the priest shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 'Then he shall offer from it all its fat: the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins; and he shall remove the lobe on the liver with the kidneys. 'The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar…
