The world has never been the same. History took a sharp turn for the better. People began to behave like human beings. Dignity, nobility, and honor followed in the wake of Christianity. (Google image, Jesus and disciples)
Art, music, and science—sparked by this new interpretation of life's meaning—begun to progress and develop. Mankind began at long last to resemble again the "image of God" in which he was created.
Society began to feel the impact of the Christian influence. Injustice, inhumanity, and intolerance were dislodged by the tidal wave of spiritual power which was released by Christ.
As F. W. Boreham once said, "The Carpenter of Nazareth has encouraged the goldsmiths of the ages." Virtually every significant social movement in Western civilization—from the abolition of slavery to child labor laws—owes its origin to the influence of Jesus Christ.
Centuries have rolled by since that initial surge of spiritual life. The stream of Christianity has flowed unceasingly, sometimes at flood tide but more often at ebb tide.
At times the church has been gloriously renewed and used of God. Emboldened by the Holy Spirit and stirred by the truth of the Word of God, men and women throughout the centuries have continued to turn the world upside down for Christ.
At other times, however, man-made tributaries have flowed into it polluting and adulterating it. Deism, Pantheism, and of late, Humanism and blatant Naturalism have flowed like muddy currents into the mainstream of Christian thought, so that the world has had difficulty in distinguishing the real from the false.
In some parts of the world, armies have fought and killed supposedly in the Name of Christ—and yet by their actions showed they understood little of His spirit of forgiveness and love.
Yes, Christians are imperfect, and some who have claimed most loudly to follow Him have been the furthest from His teaching. But don't let that divert you or keep you from Christ Himself.
At times people have said to me, "Christians are all hypocrites—I don't want anything to do with Christ!" But that is an excuse to keep from having to face the truth that is in Christ.
Instead, understand His teaching and examine His life. And if you know Christ and have committed your life to Him, learn from Him and live a consistent life to Him. Do others see something of Christ—His love, His joy, His peace—in your life?
True Christians are supposed to be happy! Our generation has become well versed in Christian terminology but is remiss in the actual practice of Christ's principles and teachings. Hence, our greatest need today is not more Christianity but more true Christians.
(Chapter one, pp. 11-13)
By Billy Graham
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Copy right 2011 by Billy Graham
Used by permission of
Thomas Nelson
Let's pray-
Father, we find that those who followed Jesus were unique in their generation, as they turned the world upside down. Their hearts had been turned right side up and the world hasn't been the same.
History took a sharp turn for the better when people began to behave like human beings, by having dignity, nobility and honor, as You intended them to have.
The new interpretation of life's meaning began to progress and develop, making mankind resemble again the image in which they were created. Society began to feel the impact of Christ's influence by many social movements.
Man-made tributaries have flowed into the Christian faith passed down to us over the ages polluting and adulterating it, so that the world has had difficulty distinguishing the real from the false.
Help us examine Christ's life, commit our lives to Him, learn from Him and then live a consistent life of faith in Him. May we have His joy, love and peace in our practice of Christian terminology.
We ask this to happen through Christ's Spirit within us. Amen
History took a sharp turn for the better when people began to behave like human beings, by having dignity, nobility and honor, as You intended them to have.
The new interpretation of life's meaning began to progress and develop, making mankind resemble again the image in which they were created. Society began to feel the impact of Christ's influence by many social movements.
Man-made tributaries have flowed into the Christian faith passed down to us over the ages polluting and adulterating it, so that the world has had difficulty distinguishing the real from the false.
Help us examine Christ's life, commit our lives to Him, learn from Him and then live a consistent life of faith in Him. May we have His joy, love and peace in our practice of Christian terminology.
We ask this to happen through Christ's Spirit within us. Amen
Today's Bible verses-
and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father
who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees
in secret will reward you openly."
Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) “God can do anything, you
know—far more than you could ever imagine or
guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does
it not by pushing us around but by working within
us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.”
Eph. 4:11, 12 (NKJV) "And He Himself gave some to
be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and
some pastors and teachers, (v. 12) for the equipping
of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ."
Today's quote-
~ Oswald Chambers- "God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience. Just think of the enormous amount of free time God has! He is never in a hurry. Yet we are always in such a frantic hurry. While still in the light of the glory of the vision, we go right out to do things, but the vision is not yet real in us.
God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision. Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor’s hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal." (From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition)
Words of wisdom-
~ As we allow Christ's Face to shine upon us, we receive nutrients that enhance our growth in grace. God's design is that we commune with Him face to Face.
~ The fact of the matter is, when we simply admit our inability to handle something, and we wait a moment, He'll show us what to do.
Today's marriage post-
10 more of 80 things our
GOD IS
A Sure Foundation Is. 28:16
Upholding All things by the Word of His power Heb. 1:3
Watching Over His Word to Perform It Jer. 1:12
A Rewarder of Those Who Diligently Seek Him Heb. 11:6
No Respecter of Persons Acts 10:34
The True Light John 1:9
The Author & Finisher of Our Faith Heb. 12:2
Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 9:15
The Truth John 14:6
Working in Us Heb. 13:21
Sometimes I want to pretend by Jane Ault
Sometimes I want to pretend
That no one ever dies,
That life is like a fairy tale
That ends with happy smiles—
If trouble comes it will not last
More than a day or two,
If I just have faith enough,
That trouble soon will go—
This doesn’t often work for me.
Does that mean I lack faith?
Or could it simply be the fact
It’s impossible to escape—
To flee from the realities
Of injustice, hardship, pain?
It’s true I can deny these things,
But I child, I will remain.
Wrestling with uncertainty,
With questions long unanswered,
Seeing desire, again, unmet
While injustice has prospered—
These are some issues I must face
If I want to mature.
Am I willing to take a risk,
Or must I always feel secure?
Sometimes I want to pretend
That no one ever dies,
That life is like a fairy tale
That ends with happy smiles.
A faith that can’t stand challenges
Is not what faith’s about.
The God I know and serve, today
Handles my fear and doubt,
Hears my ranting, sees my tears,
And always stays engaged,
Does not always tell me “why”
Yet my sorrow is assuaged—
Not by simplistic platitudes
Or an un-thought rebuttal
Spoken by some scribe of his
Who sees me very little—
Not by quick assurances
That things will be “okay”,
But by the presence of the Spirit
Who never goes away—
He is un-describable,
Mysterious in his ways,
No words can describe him,
I can only give him praise.
Jane Ault Sometimes I Want to Pretend
9/19/2019
List of recent sermons of CFC ministers. CFC Potsdam church has a live service at 10 am Sunday's for shut-ins. If for some reason you can't make it to the church you usually attend, click on the above link, and still get fed!
Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)
Helpful ways the Lord helped me in my marriage
Upcoming posts-
#8 The Impact of Christ-Like Living
26th- Thursday's last post of the first chapter of
THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS by Billy Graham
On What Do We Depend?
28th- Saturday's post by Lee Forbes
#1 Preface of "Living to Please God"
10/3rd- Tuesday's 1st post by Andrew Murray
#2 The Spirit of Devotion
3rd- Thursday's post by Andrew Murray
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| Just for You. Thanks, Bonnie! |
The truth..thank you Jean!
ReplyDeleteThis quote you included from Oswald Chambers encouraged me, today. "Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience." Thank you, Jean
ReplyDeleteOur patience is tried, probably because we're wanting things done immediately, and that's not the way the Lord does things, usually. Waiting on Him proves best, as He knows what's best to do!
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