The Most Significant Influence...

"I am absolutely convinced that the single most significant influence in a child’s life is that of his parents." ~ Steve Demme

Business of My Life

"O God, let it be the one business of my life to glorify you by every thought of my heart, by every word of my tongue, by every work of my hand, and by professing your truth and love to everyone. Amen." ~ John Wesley as quoted in Ashes To Fire, Year B

Moment by Moment

"The Christian faith is meant to be lived moment by moment. It isn't some broad, general outline--it's a long walk with a real Person. Details count: passing thoughts, small sacrifices, a few encouraging words, little acts of kindness, brief victories over nagging sins." ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

Be Encouraged

"In a world where situations can get ugly, where people you trust may betray you, and where answers seem fleeting, remember that God loves you with an everlasting love. Be encouraged." ~ From Holiness Today's Facebook Update on January 27, 2012 ******************************************************** Beautiful song that encourages and reminds us that this place is not our home... - Blessings by Laura Story

Bring the books...

“Give yourself unto reading.” The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. You need to read. We are quite persuaded that the very best way for you to be spending your leisure time, is to be either reading or praying. You may get much instruction from books which afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master’s service. Paul cries, “Bring the books” — join in the cry. from Spurgeon’s, "Paul — His Cloak and His Books” ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Family Worship

"Having your family in a good, Bible-teaching local church is crucial to Christian parenting. But this is not enough for conveying to your children all you want to teach them about God and your beliefs. Moreover, it is unlikely that exposure to the church once or twice a week will impress your children enough with the greatness and glory of God that they will want to pursue Him once they leave home." ~ Donald S. Whitney Family Worship: Why? Donald S. Whitney

Strive to Be...

"You may encounter many wonderful Christians and inadvertently put some on pedestals. Or you may aspire to be like them or hope to attain their level of holiness one day only to realize at some point that they aren't exactly what you once thought. It is so important to love all people where ever they are on their journey, but ONLY aspire to be like Jesus. Compare yourself only to His holiness and strive to be like Him alone." ~ Something God impressed upon me this morning

Tools to Overcome

“The real tests that you will face in life are not the ones that will challenge your strengths but rather the ones that expose your weaknesses. When that happens, remember this: If you allow God, He will prepare you for all your battles. So when your weaknesses get exposed, He's already given you the tools to overcome.” ~ Pastor Kevin Seymour

Choose Kindness

"I choose kindness... I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me." ~ Max Lucado

He's Not Cold

"Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Feats of Love

The greatest feats of love are performed by those who have had much practise in performing daily acts of kindness. ~ Anonymous

Life is About...

"Life’s about altars not applause." ~ Ann Voskamp

What is the Reason?

"One thing we may be sure of, however: For the believer all pain has meaning; all adversity is profitable. There is no question that adversity is difficult. It usually takes us by surprise and seems to strike where we are most vulnerable. To us it often appears completely senseless and irrational, but to God none of it is either senseless or irrational. He has a purpose in every pain He brings or allows in our lives. We can be sure that in some way He intends it for our profit and His glory." ~ Jerry Bridges ********************************************************** This song speaks loudly - "The Reason for the World" by Matthew West

Fasting

"Fasting, if we conceive of it truly, must not... be confined to the question of food and drink; fasting should really be made to include abstinence from anything which is legitimate in and of itself for the sake of some special spiritual purpose. There are many bodily functions which are right and normal and perfectly legitimate, but which for special peculiar reasons in certain circumstances should be controlled. That is fasting." ~ Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Say No to...

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. ~ Titus 2:11-14

Every Body Matters

"Whether you're in your twenties, thirties, or forties - or facing your fifties, sixties, seventies, or beyond - one thing is certain: you're doing it in a body, a body that not only contains a soul but affects your soul as well." ~ Gary Thomas (from his book "Every Body Matters")

If God Seems So Far Away

“I think the reason we sometimes have the false sense that God is so far away is because that is where we have put him. We have kept him at a distance, and then when we are in need and call on him in prayer, we wonder where he is. He is exactly where we left him.” ~ Ravi Zacharias

Man's Greatest Care

“A man's greatest care should be for that place where he lives longest; therefore eternity should be his scope.” ~ Thomas Watson

Catering or Abandoning?

‎'We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is about abandoning ourselves...' ~ David Platt

Being Watched...

"Sometimes we Christians are so full of vitriol, rotten attitudes, and vain thoughts that it’s a wonder we exist as a faith body in as much as it depends on us. Stop the cycle. Live in love. We’re being watched by a hurting world." ~ C. Hosher

Who will take care of me?

‎"But then I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.' I'm confident that God will take care of me." ~ David Platt (Radical)

Grace or Truth or Both?

Truth without grace crushes people and ceases to be truth. Grace without truth deceives people and ceases to be grace. “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). ~ Randy Alcorn (from The Grace and Truth Paradox)

Prayer...

“It’s not enough to discuss issues, pray about them, and merely feel inspired by them. No, to actually participate in the Beautiful Fight, we have to find ways to put them into action.” ~ Gary Thomas

Criticism...

Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots. ~ Frank A. Clark

Real Tests...

"The real tests that you will face in life are not the ones that will challenge your strengths but rather the ones that expose your weaknesses. When that happens, remember this: If you allow God, He will prepare you for all your battles. So when your weaknesses get exposed, He's already given you the tools to overcome." ~ Kevin Seymour

Forgive...

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." ~ Mark 11:24-25

Post Christmas Prayer

"Long after the angels disappear into the heavens, the shepherds return to their flocks, the magi journey home and the great star sets, Jesus remains.

The Child in whom we rediscover God’s great love for humanity becomes the adult Redeemer who challenges us to imitate his selflessness and compassion in order that we might transform our world in love…

May we allow the miracle of Christmas to continue long after the holiday trappings have been packed away;

May we welcome the adult Messiah and his challenging Gospel to recreate our lives, making the peace, justice and hope of this holy season a reality in every season of the new year."

~ Post-Christmas Prayer: CONNECTIONS, Jan.1, ‘95

Don't forget..."It's About the Cross."

One Day at a Time

"We should take advantage of His faithfulness and make every day a fresh start. Resolve to make each day the beginning of a new year, a new morning, a new adventure. He wipes the slate clean and goes back to zero so we can be filled up again with His spirit and give it out all day long. Enjoy the blessings of a new year, in Christ, one day at a time!"

~ Debbie Carroccio

Prayer for You...

"I pray that the Lord might crown this year with His goodness and in the coming one give you a hallowed dare-devil spirit in lifting the biting sword of Truth, consuming you with a passion that is called by the cultured citizen of Christendom 'fanaticism', but known to God as that saint ly madness that led His Son through bloody sweat and hot tears to agony on a rude Cross---and Glory!"

Jim Elliot

A New Year's Prayer

A New Year's Prayer

"May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,
and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God's love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead."

~ Anonymous

Happy New Year!

"If this is to be a Happy New Year, a year of usefulness, a year in which we shall live to make this earth better, it is because God will direct our pathway. How important then, to feel our dependence upon Him!"

~ Matthew Simpson

A New Year

2012

"A new year – a book of blank pages waiting to be filled. It is easy to fall prey to doubts and questions about unknown days before me. But maybe God’s will for my life is far greater than knowing what path my life will take, what career choice I will make or what job change will occur. Maybe God’s will is simply for me to serve Him and love Him and share His love with others. So simple, yet so complete. There is no need for lofty resolutions, no need for fear – I will begin my days with prayer; I will listen, and God and I will walk together. He will help me through the rest, one day at a time."

~ Author Unknown