tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19644412071894491712024-03-18T15:39:04.216-05:00SOUND BITES: Something to chew on that is good for the soul™SOUND BITES: Something to chew on that is good for the soul™ is a five-day-a-week e-mail and blog minisirty where Rev. Dave Wilkinson shares inspirational quotes with subscribers. Hopefully recipients find something of faith and life to think about and chew on, which feeds their soul and helps them grow spiritually.Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.comBlogger3551125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-38535873192440656572024-03-18T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-18T06:00:00.255-05:00THE SURPASSING WORTH OF KNOWING CHRIST<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“But whatever were gains to me I now
consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a
loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose
sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and
be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ -- the righteousness that comes from
God on the basis of faith.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Philippians
3:7-9 NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Our value does not depend on our ability
to earn people's acceptance. People change their minds. Instead, true
self-worth is God's love and acceptance, which are unchanging. He created us. He
alone knows how to fulfill all of our needs. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">-- Robert McGee in "Search for Significance"</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5817</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-57443877916468933122024-03-15T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-15T06:00:00.150-05:00TODAY IS THE DAY<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jesus said to His disciples,
"Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their
cross and follow Me.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Matthew 16:24
NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jesus calls us to take up a cross and
die. Not someday when we take our last breath, but to die to ourselves today…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Bruce Thielemann is an author, he wrote
these words, “Please don’t say anything to me about tomorrow. Tomorrow is a
word the Bible does not know. The Holy Spirit’s word is “today.” The Bible
says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).
And Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “For God says, ‘At just the right time, I
heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, the ‘right time’ is
now. Today is the day of salvation.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Today is the day of salvation. Don’t say
tomorrow. The word is “today.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">-- Adapted from “Not a Fan” Study by Kyle Idleman</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5816</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-47924760983291604952024-03-14T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-14T06:00:00.139-05:00HOPE FOR TODAY<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“May the God of hope fill you with all
joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may
abound in hope.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Romans 15:13)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yes, there is hope.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There is hope for the present because I believe
the stage has already been set for a new spirit in our nation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One of the things we desperately need is
a spiritual renewal in this country.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We
need a spiritual revival in America.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And
God has told us in His Word, time after time, that we are to repent of our sins
and we're to turn to Him and He will bless us in a new way… And from the Cross,
God declares, "I love you.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I know
the heartaches and the sorrows and the pains that you feel.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But I love you."…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But now we have a choice: whether to
implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually as a people and a nation --
or, whether to choose to become stronger through all of this struggle -- to
rebuild on a solid foundation.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And I
believe we're in the process of starting to rebuild on that foundation.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">That foundation is our trust in God…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My prayer today is that we will feel the
loving arms of God wrapped around us, and will know in our hearts that He will
never forsake us as we trust in Him.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">-- </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Reverend Billy Graham</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5815</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-7892484741362634362024-03-13T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-13T06:00:00.133-05:00TODAY IS GOD’S GIFT TO YOU<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“This is the day that the Lord has
made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Psalm 118:24 NRSV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The greatest moment of your life is now.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Not because it's pleasant or happy or
easy, but because this moment is the only moment you've got.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Every past moment is irretrievably gone.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It's never coming back.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you live there, you lose your life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And the future is always out there
somewhere.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You can spend an eternity
waiting for tomorrow, or worrying about tomorrow.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you live there, you likewise will lose
your life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This moment is God's irreplaceable gift
to you.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Most of all, this is the moment
that matters because this moment is where God is.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you are going to be with God at all, you
must be with Him now -- in this moment.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">-</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">-
John Ortberg in “God Is Closer Than You Think”</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5814</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-90345552573505857272024-03-12T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-12T06:00:00.338-05:00GOD’S HEALING WORD FOR TODAY<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Cause me to understand the way of Your precepts,
that I may meditate on Your wonderful deeds. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen
me according to Your Word.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Psalm 119:27,28
NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">The Word of God is not a word to apply
in our daily lives at some later date; it is a word to heal us through, and in,
our listening here and now.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">The questions therefore are: How does
God come to me as I listen to the Word? Where do I discern the healing hand of
God touching me through the Word? How are my sadness, my grief, and my mourning
being transformed at this very moment? Do I sense the fire of God’s love
purifying my heart and giving me new life? These questions lead me to the
sacrament of the Word, the sacred place of God’s real presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">-- Henri J. M. Nouwen in “With Burning Hearts”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5813</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-30428226032046472172024-03-11T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-11T06:00:00.141-05:00OUR CHRISTIAN WITNESS TODAY<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“That is why I am so eager to preach the
gospel... For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God
that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Romans 1:15a,16a NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">Our situation today is not as dissimilar
from the writing of Paul’s letter to the Romans as we are inclined to think.
Make no mistake. The days of casual Christianity are over. The same issue of
deep faithfulness is upon us. Once again, we are in a time when to be Christian
is to be seen as quaint, backwards, and scientifically ignorant. For some, it
is even a sign of being mean spirited and bigoted. And here we must pause for a
moment to confess that we have brought some of this on by ourselves through a
narrow-minded refusal to love those who disagree and more often than we would
like, a coarse indifference to the hurting, hungry, and homeless, both
physically and spiritually. Yet surely the response to our appropriate
confession is not abject surrender to the whims of our hedonistically saturated
civilization. Dean Inge’s famous quote rightly reminds us that “Whoever marries
the spirit of this age will find himself [or herself] a widower [or widow] in
the next.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Is it not time to admit that instead of
being the transformer of culture we have been transformed by our culture?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">-- </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Bishop
Mike Lowry</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5812</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-9641554040046527002024-03-08T06:00:00.001-06:002024-03-08T06:00:00.238-06:00THE NEW SPIRITUAL MAN<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become
new.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A new spiritual man is emerging in
America. He does not confuse faith with politics; he does not require
exclusively sports-based metaphors to gain a spiritual yard or two; he is
struggling hard to be authentically Christian and countercultural in the
workplace; and he understands the language of servant leadership in the home.
This man is less confrontational than those who seek to effect change via
condemnation and acrimony because he is learning to remember that Christ
teaches us to overcome evil with good. “Be imitators of God, as beloved
children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If he is married, the new spiritual man knows
that his wife is his partner, not one more subject for his domain. If anyone
asks about the dynamics of power in his family, today’s disciple has learned to
share the truth about relationships that are grounded in the security and
freedom of God’s invitation to fullness [in Christ].</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We live as witnesses to God’s amazing
and redemptive love. Relationships experienced in the context of God’s social
economy stand as a living testimony to our salvation, and to our independence
from the warped values and skewed priorities of this broken and unsatisfying
world.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">-- Derek Maul in “Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5811</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-56629715126959693232024-03-07T06:00:00.001-06:002024-03-07T06:00:00.241-06:00EMISSARIES OF GRACE <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“We’re Christ’s representatives. God
uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into
God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ Himself
now: Become friends with God; He’s already a friend with you.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(2 Corinthians 5:20 MSG)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Christian character reflects our
relationship with Christ. We learn and build Christian character as we grow
closer to God and follow His directives. We still have our individual
personalities, but they develop into a godly version – a better version of
ourselves – the person God created us to be. We grow in Christian character as
we walk with God, dive into His Word, and spend time with Him in prayer.
Christian character should display Christ to those around us – we are His
emissaries of grace!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We have to be intentional about
developing Christian character. Every day we make choices that will either grow
our Christian character or send it into a slump. Our life circumstances are
where God builds character, but we have to cooperate with Him in the effort. We
are often confronted with issues and situations that tempt us to act out in
ways that are the opposite of Christian character – we might want to fight
back, get even, use foul language, get angry, and so on. We have to make the
conscience choice to respond in a Christlike way.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";">-- Author Unknown, from biblereasons.com</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5810</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-49799918018561877212024-03-06T13:16:00.001-06:002024-03-06T13:16:19.440-06:00BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“I have never
coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. You know that these hands of
mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were
with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need
by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more
blessed to give than to receive.’”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Acts
20:33-35 NLT)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The blessings of God are never ends in
themselves.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And if we use a blessing
selfishly, the blessing actually turns into a curse.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The blessings of God are always a means to an
end.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And the end is blessing
others.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We are blessed to bless.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One of the turning points of my life came the day I
stopped setting income goals and started setting giving goals.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It was a paradigm shift.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I finally came to terms with the fact that
making money is the way you make a living and giving it away is the way you
make a life.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">True joy is found on the
giving end of life.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Does that mean I
don’t struggle with greed?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Nope.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Greed is a nine-headed monster.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And it has nine lives.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Does that mean I don’t want to make more
money?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Nope.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It simple means that on my good days I live
to give.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My motivation to make more is
so I can give more.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">John Wesley may have
said it best:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Gain all you can, save
all you can, give all you can.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Mark Batterson in “PRIMAL: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5809</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-58214416372555602112024-03-05T06:00:00.001-06:002024-03-05T06:00:00.136-06:00THE ROLE OF SCRIPTURE IN SPIRITUAL FORMATION<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for
teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction
for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and
equipped to do every kind of good deed.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(2 Timothy 3:16-17 GNT)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">how</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> of
the role of Scripture in spiritual formation is not so much a body of
information, a technique, a method, a model, as it is a mode of being in
relationship with God that we bring to the Scripture…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I suggest that your top priority be to listen for
God. Seek to allow your attention and focus to be on listening for what God is
saying to you as your read [the Scripture]… Listen for God to speak to you in
and through, around and within, over and behind and out front of everything
that you read. Keep asking yourself, “What is God seeking to say to me in all
this?” By adopting this posture toward the text [of God’s Word] you will begin
the process of reversing the learning mode that establishes </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">you</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> as the controlling power who seeks
to master a body of information. Instead, you will begin to allow the text to
become an instrument of God’s grace in your life. You will begin to open
yourself to the possibility of God’s setting the agenda for your life through
the text. Not only will this exercise begin to transform your approach to
reading (and prepare you for the role of Scripture in spiritual formation), it
will also begin to transform your whole mode of being in relationship with God
in a way that will enhance genuine spiritual formation.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. in “Shaped by the Word”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5808</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-41505734037991438812024-03-04T07:45:00.003-06:002024-03-04T07:45:39.704-06:00DWELLING WITH THE WORD<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as
you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
(Colossians 3:16 NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you
richly." It is very different to read and know the Word than it is to let
it "richly dwell" in your very spirit. This means we find the purpose
and pleasure of God's Word. It means that God's Word directs our paths and that
the very core of our being is filled with the Word. We don't have the Word as a
mere visitor to our lives -- Sunday morning Bible readers! Rather we take the
Word of God and let it sift through the "stuff" of our lives until it
rests richly in our heart. Then we find the Word on our fingertips and tongues
in each and every situation we encounter. As God's Word dwells richly we reap
the rich rewards.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Pastor Gary Stone</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5807</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-12042078293392547652024-03-01T06:00:00.007-06:002024-03-01T06:00:00.156-06:00SPIRITUAL PRIDE<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“For by the grace given me I say to every one of
you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of
yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed
to each of you.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Romans 12:3 NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We have an inborn persisting tendency to attribute
to ourselves the successes of our spiritual life, the resistance we offer to
temptation, the devotion we achieve, the discipline we keep, and the good works
we do. Surely we thank God for all of that, but in our heart of hearts we
congratulate ourselves on our exploits, and secretly worship our sword and bow.
We take as done by us what is done by God in us; even obvious graces from
heaven stick to the soul and seem after some time to be connatural to us and
springing from us. That is the spiritual pride of the worst kind, and it really
takes hold of the soul, it is enough to stop any spiritual progress at all. The
disease is as dangerous as it is common.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Carlos G. Valles in “Faith for Justice”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5806</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-69462606477284737572024-02-29T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-29T06:00:00.141-06:00A NEW SELF <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer
live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith
in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Galatians 2:20 NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Christian way is different: harder, and easier.
Christ says, “Give Me </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">all</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. I don’t
want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I
want </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">you</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. I have not come to torment
your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don’t want
to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down…
Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as
well as the ones you think wicked -- the whole outfit. I will give you a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">new self</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> instead. In fact, I will give
you Myself: My own will shall become yours.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- C. S. Lewis in “Mere Christianity”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5805</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-22081371280278920542024-02-28T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-28T06:00:00.132-06:00THE BURDEN OF WORRY<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty
hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because
He cares for you.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Do you feel that your small anxieties, cares, and
concerns cannot measure up to the world’s collective prayers to God? People are
dying from flood, famine, earthquake, war, and fire; yet you worry about
getting to an appointment on time. It seems almost presumptuous to expect God
to care about your worries, doesn’t it?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Nevertheless, hear the truth of the Christian faith:
</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">God loves you</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. God has concern for
your life. Your greatest triumphs, your smallest sorrows, God knows and cares
about them all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The scriptures tell you to “Cast all your anxiety on
[God] because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). The key word here is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">all</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> -- not only the big stuff, but also
the little worries and doubts that assail you throughout an average day. …</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">God of love, I’m tired of carrying this burden of
worry. I want to believe that You will take it from me, but I find it hard
because ____________________. Today, help me to cast all my anxiety upon You.
Lift me up if I stumble; forgive me if I fall. I ask this humbly. Amen.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Patricia Wilson in “Freedom from Worry”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5804</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-62477054868934433982024-02-27T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-27T06:00:00.136-06:00THREE DOLLARS WORTH<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I would like to buy about three dollars worth of
gospel, please. Not too much -- just enough to make me happy, but not so much
that I get addicted. I don't want so much gospel that I learn to really hate
covetousness and lust. I certainly don't want so much that I start to love my
enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien
culture. I want ecstasy, not repentance; I want transcendence, not
transformation. I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving,
broad-minded people, but I myself don't want to love those from different races
-- especially if they smell. I would like enough gospel to make my family
secure and my children well behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions
redirected or my giving too greatly enlarged. I would like about three dollars
worth of gospel, please.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- D. A. Carson in “Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5803</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-3244197565354730452024-02-25T13:27:00.005-06:002024-02-25T13:27:45.818-06:00CHOOSE NOW <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"See, I set before you today life and
prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord
your God, to walk in obedience to Him, and to keep His commands, decrees and
laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in
the land you are entering to possess.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Hear how the God of creation Himself speaks of this
matter. Here lies the whole of the divine mercy: It’s all on this side of the
day of judgment. Till the end of time, God is compassionate and long-suffering,
and continues to every creature a power of choosing life or death, prosperity
or destruction; but when the end of time is come, there is an end of choice, and
the last judgment is only a putting everyone into the full and sole possession
of that which he has already chosen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Adapted from William Law in “An Appeal to All
that Doubt”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5802</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-90718523609010941732024-02-23T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-23T06:00:00.176-06:00FORMING THE GREATEST CHARACTER<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may [discover] what is
the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Romans 12:2 NRSV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The study of God's Word, for the purpose of
discovering God's will, is the secret discipline which has formed the greatest
characters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- James W. Alexander</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5801</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-32412903638175005082024-02-21T06:00:00.003-06:002024-02-21T07:43:00.527-06:00SOMEONE TO SURRENDER TO<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"For if you want to save your own life, you will
lose it; but if you lose your life for Me and for the gospel, you will save
it.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Mark 8:35 GNT)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">G.K. Chesterton wrote, “When a person has found
something which he prefers to life itself, he for the first time has begun to
live.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jesus in His proclamation of the kingdom told us
what we could prefer to life itself. The Bible ends by telling us we are called
to be a people who could say, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20), who could
welcome something more than business as usual and live in God’s Big Picture. We
all have to ask for the grace to prefer something to our small life because we
have been offered the Shared Life, the One Life, the Eternal Life, God’s Life
that became visible for us in this world as Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What we are all searching for is Someone to
surrender to, something we can prefer to life itself. Well here is the
wonderful surprise: </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">God is the only one
we can surrender to without losing ourselves!</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> The irony is that we actually
</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">find</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> ourselves, but now in a whole
new and much larger field of meaning.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Adapted from “Preparing for Christmas with Richard Rohr”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5800</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-58901630162504315772024-02-21T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-21T06:00:00.358-06:00HANDLING OUR POSSESSIONS<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Then Jesus said, ‘Beware! Guard against every kind
of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own… Yes, a person is a fool to
store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.’” </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Luke 12:15,21 NLT)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Our world is full of “things” and “stuff” -- that is,
possessions. We have an inbuilt desire to possess things. We find ourselves
eager for possessions and for all that money promises and provides. But if we
are not careful, we find ourselves trusting money to buy us life, and our lives
are governed more and more by the pursuit of possessions. This is a trap. There
are many things that money can’t buy for us, and there are some things that
money will actually take from us…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If the pursuit of possessions purchased from profits
is the essence of our existence, one’s life is measured by what one owns. Money
becomes our god. We are owned by our money and possessed by our possessions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So what do we do? We should accept possessions
gladly, hold them lightly, use them wisely, share them unselfishly, and offer
them worshipfully to God for His use. The quality of one’s life is seen in how
well we handle things rather than letting things handle us.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Adapted from Stuart Briscoe in “Daily Study Bible for Men” </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5799</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-50361631886649393872024-02-20T06:00:00.002-06:002024-02-20T06:00:00.253-06:00LONGING FOR GOD<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they will be filled.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Matthew 5:6 NIV)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We do not come to be with Jesus because we are
righteous or strong. The people gathered around Jesus because they were needy.
In His [Sermon on the Mount] Jesus begins to explain the profound difference
between the religious leaders’ teaching about attaining righteousness through
their interpretation of the Law and traditions and the greater righteousness that
moves beyond the Law to a relationship with God in Christ.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Our sinful, restricted self is uncomfortable and
fights being revealed. But deeper within us is the longing for God, placed
within our true self by God. We come to God as we are: caught by sin and
longing for God; and we are always met by God’s grace and mercy.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Wendy Miller in “Learning to Listen”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5798</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-28400760950155804172024-02-19T06:00:00.007-06:002024-02-19T06:00:00.142-06:00INVERTED CHRISTIANITY<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Two thousand years ago Jesus extended an
unbelievable invitation: "Follow Me." And the invitation is still on
the table. But let me drill down on this a little bit. I think there are lots
of people who think they have accepted the invitation. They think they are
following Jesus. But the reality is that they have invited Jesus to follow
them. And there is a world of difference!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For the first nineteen years of my life, if I'm
being totally honest, I think it was more about Jesus following me. I didn't
want to go anywhere without Him. But it wasn't about me serving His purposes.
It was about Him serving my purposes. I think many Christians have an inverted
relationship with Christ. Call it spiritual selfishness. Our relationship with
Him is all about us. And then we wonder why we're unfulfilled and bored with
our faith.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Are you following Jesus? Or is Jesus following
you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Mark Batterson, from his blog Evotional.com </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5797</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-5932947216721334022024-02-16T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-16T06:00:00.334-06:00IN GOD WE TRUST<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Who can we count on anymore? Who can you trust? We
are living in a world where trust is one of our most endangered virtues and values.
In the midst of the world’s trust crisis, to a people suffering from a trust
deficit, it is time to announce at the top of our lungs, “In God We Trust!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose
trust is the Lord.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Jeremiah 17:7)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Psalm 56:3)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the
one that trusts in the Lord.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Psalm
34:8)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You,
all whose thoughts are fixed on You!”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(Isaiah 26:3) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Leonard Sweet in “A Cup of Coffee at the Soul Café”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5796</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-88207662612700232382024-02-15T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-15T06:00:00.139-06:00HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be
interested in others, too, and in what they are doing. Your attitude should be
the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 2:4-5 LB)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hurt people hurt people. If someone is hurting you,
that person is doing so because he or she is hurting. We need to look beyond
people’s faults and see their needs. Then we can learn to love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Have you discovered that the most obnoxious people
and the least loveable people are those who need love the most? The people we
would rather ignore are the ones who desperately need massive doses of love.
Everyone needs love. If a person can’t get love, he will strive for attention.
And if he can’t get attention, he will work at attracting negative attention. Subconsciously,
he is saying, “I will be noticed, one way or another.”…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If instead of thinking about a person’s faults we
begin to think about their needs, it will change the way we feel.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Rick Warren in “God’s Power to Change Your Life”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5795</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-79831875331848239122024-02-14T06:00:00.002-06:002024-02-14T09:39:11.072-06:00REPENTANCE REQUIRES TRUST AND HUMILITY<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If our problem is really sin – a fundamental breach
in human existence – then repentance, not self-improvement is the first
requirement. This is the biblical view of the foundations of morality. The prophets,
John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul all beckoned their hearers to a new life by
calling them first to give up the old in repentance. (See Mark 1:15; Luke
13:3-5; Acts 26:20; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10.) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Repentance is the absolutely inescapable first
step of the Christian moral life. Without repentance, the Christian moral life
is impossible.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Repentance requires two things: humility and trust.
Repentance requires the humility involved in the confession that I am a sinner,
one whose life is not whole and who lacks the power both to find either the
direction to wholeness or the resources for wholeness on my own. Repentance
requires trust in God’s power that can and will ultimately sustain and establish
me if I let go of myself into God’s powerful hands. Without both trust and
humility, repentance is impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Adapted from “Vision and Character” by Craig R. Dykstra<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5794</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1964441207189449171.post-28622011860953807472024-02-13T06:00:00.001-06:002024-02-13T06:00:00.130-06:00SEEKING TO FOLLOW CHRIST <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“The gifts Christ gave were that some would be
apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip
the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until
all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians
4:11-13)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The church is the worshipping community. We are that
body of people who are learning together to repent, pray, and serve in the
light of our history and an imagination that is teaching us to do so. The focus
of our history and imagination is Jesus Christ, in Whom we see what it means to
live in repentance, prayer, and service. We seek to follow Him, to be His
disciples, and to undertake the disciplines that such a life requires.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-- Craig R. Dykstra in “Vision and Character”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">#5793</span></p>Rev. Dave Wilkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07707254726782913543noreply@blogger.com0