Why Invite People to Church?
Though 85 percent of Americans call themselves Christians, only 69 percent regard themselves as church members. Continue reading Why Invite People to Church?
Category: From Friend to Friend
Phil Sanders
The Sympathetic Jewel
A man visited Tiffany’s jewelry store in New York City. He was shown a magnificent diamond with its gleaming yellow light and many other splendid stones. But he observed one stone that was perfectly lusterless and said, “That has no beauty about it at all.” Continue reading The Sympathetic Jewel
New Testament Christianity
Since my earliest days of being a Christian, I have been thrilled with New Testament Christianity. Going back to the Bible for the rule of faith and practice is truly the ancient path. Continue reading New Testament Christianity
Lead Me to Some Soul Today
Will H. Houghton and Wendell P. Loveless wrote a moving hymn, dating from its copyright in 1936. The words of this song ought to remind us of the overwhelming need to reach out to the lost and bring them to Christ Jesus our Lord:
Lead me to some soul today;
O teach me, Lord, just what to say;
Friends of mine are lost in sin,
And cannot find their way.
Few there are who seem to care,
And few there are who pray;
Melt my heart and fill my life:
Give me one soul today.
What if the Lord has placed within your sphere of influence a soul that needs the saving blood of Jesus? What will you do?
All around us are people whose lives are filled with self and who have forgotten the Lord. Our task is to remind them that the Lord loves them but will hold them accountable one day. A kind word or deed, a simple invitation, and a little effort can help them to be prepared for that day.
The Lord is depending on you to share the gospel with those you love.
If your heart is touched and tender
Toward a sinner, lost and low,
It might help him to do better,
If you’d only tell him so.
The Oil of Kindness
There was an old man who carried a little can of oil with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a door that squeaked, he poured a little oil on the hinges. If a gate was hard to open, he oiled the latch. So he went through life lubricating all the hard places and making it easier for those who came after him. People thought he was odd; but the old man went steadily on, refilling his can of oil when it became empty and oiling the hard places he found. He did not wait until he found a … Continue reading The Oil of Kindness
The Obvious
A group of kindergarten children visited the local police station and viewed the pictures of the ten most-wanted men. One child pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photograph of the wanted person. The policeman guide replied that it was. The youngster inquired, ?Well, why didn?t you keep him when you took his picture?? What seemed an obvious mistake to the child, of course, is from his perspective rather astute. Why they didn?t keep the criminal in custody, however, may be a far more complicated thing. The picture may have been taken before he committed his … Continue reading The Obvious
What Confusion!
A middle-aged woman was sitting in her den when all of a sudden a small black snake crawled across the floor and under the couch. The women was deathly afraid of snakes, so she promptly ran to the bathroom to get her husband, who was taking a shower. The man of the house came running from the shower to the den with only a towel around his waist. The man took an old broom handle and began poking under the couch to retrieve the snake. At that point the family dog, who had been sleeping, awoke and became excited. In … Continue reading What Confusion!
Time to Execute
Plans are wonderful, but there comes a time when people must execute their plans. God blesses the effectual doers not the hearers who delude themselves (James 1:22-25). Getting the job done takes self-control. If you wish to lose weight, you must do the things that call for weight loss — watching what you eat and exercising. Talking about it won’t make much difference. Self-control is one of the elements of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). Paul told the Christians in Galatia, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” … Continue reading Time to Execute
How Do You Read?
?What is written in the Law? How do you read it?? (Luke 10:26) Jesus asked this question to the lawyer who asked what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answered the question by citing Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:17 and telling him the story of the good Samaritan. Whatever the context is, Jesus? questions are good ones: ?What is written in the Law? How do you read it?? Knowing what God says will settle many issues. Many of the divisions and religious issues of our day come from assumptions and traditions rather than from a study of the … Continue reading How Do You Read?
What You Don't Know
Donald E. Messer tells the story of a man of substance approached to contribute to a major financial campaign. The urgent need and compelling case were stated, and the call was made for his support. The man responded, “I understand why you think I can give fifty thousand dollars. I am a man with my own business and, it is true, I have all the signs of affluence. But there are some things you don’t know. Did you know that my mother is in an expensive nursing home?” Well, no, we didn’t know. “Did you know also that my brother … Continue reading What You Don't Know