Don't accept everything you read

The other day a close friend of mine Robert LeSage sent me an article entitled, “Preaching Christ Jesus.” I like what he says in the fifth paragraph, “Lord Alford Tennyson once said, ‘A lie which is all a lie may be met and fought outright, but a lie which is part of a truth is a harder matter to fight.’ In essence, what Tennyson was saying can be observed in the authoring of many religious books and teachings today. It is my gut feeling that many of these writers are more interested in the notoriety and financial gain than sharing an encounter that will change or transform ones life. These people often misquote Scripture, or take Scripture out of context in order to back up their thoughts on a subject. This is why we are instructed to examine the Scriptures everyday, (Acts 17:11) to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15) since all Scripture is God-breathed and given to us for a reason (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).”
Have you checked me out yet? It is your responsibility.

Prayer

If you would like pray please send me an e-mail at HeartsofMen@msn.com and I will consider it a privilege to pray for you.

Varanasi Letter

How can we last even one day living our life without hearing Jesus say, “I love you” – impossible. Our soul needs that as much as the body needs to breathe the air. If not, prayer is dead – meditation is only thinking. Jesus wants you each to hear Him – speaking in the silence of your heart.
Be careful of all that can block that personal being in touch with the living Jesus. The hurts of life, and sometimes your own mistakes – [may] make you feel it is impossible that Jesus really wanting, waiting to tell you.
Not only He loves you, even more – He longs for you. He misses you when you don’t come close. He thirsts for you. He loves you always, even when you don’t feel worthy. Even if you are not accepted by others, even by yourself sometime – He is the one who always accepts you.
My children, you don’t have to be different for Jesus to love you. Only believe – You are precious to him. Bring all you are suffering to His feet – only open your heart to be loved by Him as you are. He will do the rest. ~~ Mother Teresa, March 25 1993

When the church gets right, the sinners will come

God needs leaders, teachers and preachers today who will have the courage and backbone to continue being faithful and fervent to proclaim a Holy God by the sweat power of the Holy Spirit, living His Word by the protection of a Holy life. The Lord is coming after “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27, KJV).
Today, there are many people coming before Almighty God. Congregants will give big offering, anything. They will work their finger to the bone; do this, that, whatever. They will wept before Him and ask for mercy. They love Him but enjoy pleasure. They want blessing. These folks aren’t sincere.
They will do anything, but break. Yes, these people hear the Word of God. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22, KJV). Faith acts. To believe is to do! If we do not put the Word into practice, it is to no avail.
Who, may I ask, wants that?

Yalkyrie

In 1936, because of his anti-Nazi views, Bonhoeffer was no longer permitted to teach at the University of Berlin. Two years later, he was forbidden to live in Berlin. In 1940, the German authorities forbade him to speak in public, and he had to report regularly to the police. In 1943, began his arrest and life in Tegel military prison in Berlin.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was connected with Valkyrie plotters, once said that if one was riding a bus that was about to go off the road because the bus driver was no longer capable of negotiating the bus. Was it not the obligation of one of the passengers to dash to the front and take the steering wheel to try to keep it from going off the ledge into a deep ravine? Of course, the reason would be to save lives.

Nailprints

A very dear friend of mine Deborah Shields who years ago encourage me to put my thoughts on paper recently sent me an e-mail. The part that I cannot forget is, “How can we prove to them that we have surrendered our lives, and now Jesus lives in us? Will we have nailprints to show?
We must be mistaken for Jesus...nothing else is as effective a witness. My favorite witness advice comes from St. Francis: ‘Preach the Gospel every day...and if you have to, use words.’”
Deborah has written a collection of meditations on the Cross called "Nailprints." The book closes with:
"Like Thomas, they {our neighbors} want to say to us: 'Unless...I put my finger in the nailprints...I will never believe.' (John 20:25)

Failure

I should just give up. How many times can I fail? Maybe you should reconsider.

Godliness?

A good friend of mine Rodney Lensch sends out a prophetic newsletter for the body of Christ four times a year. Rodney addresses matters in these critical times of vital concern to all of us.
In his recent newsletter, he asked what godliness is. His response to this question is, “Godliness is the sum and substance of the Christian life from start to finish. It is to be God-like, God-pleasing and God-motivated in desires, thoughts, words and deeds. In short, it is the exact opposite of worldliness or carnality. It is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (divine priorities). It is to set one’s affections on things above (heavenly-minded). It is to live out of the new nature by the life and power of the Holy Spirit (a new creation). It is to bring forth fruits befitting repentance (a validation of true faith). And it is to trust God for all needs both spiritual and physical (total dependency).” By this definition, how would you measure your level of godliness?

Prayer

If you would like prayer please send me an e-mail at HeartsofMen@msn.com and I will consider it a privilege to pray for you.

Christians get on my nerves

Cathy Lynn Grossman wrote in the USA TODAY Religious section, Survey: Non-attendees find faith outside church. “A new survey of U.S. adults, who don't go to church, even on holidays, finds 72% say, "God, a higher or supreme being actually exists." But just as many (72%) also say the church is "full of hypocrites."
Indeed, 44% agree with the statement "Christians get on my nerves." LifeWay Research, the research arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, based in Nashville, conducted the survey of 1,402 ‘un-churched’ adults last spring and summer. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.”
I was raised in the church and have the same struggles as the un-churched. In addition, Christians get on my nerves and most of us are hypocrites. I don’t see people living out their faith as I think they should – of course that is my standards I am using.
After all these years, I have come to realize no one has his "act together" and then joins a church. Church life is for sinners (there is that bad word again), alcoholics, drug addictives, and perverts. I have found a few that are “real” and these keep me looking for the “real” deal. It behooves me to keep looking, to get as close as possible to an authentic Christian, to discern what makes him/her different and apply it to my life.

The Valley and the World

"On the Afternoon of December 22, 1899, D. L. Moody said, “God is calling me. There is no pain. No valley. This is glorious.” The family was all there waiting.
Half an hour later, he shook his big frame. 'Get me over to a chair. I think God’ll do a miracle after all.'
But he was wrong. The miracle had already been done. And it had been done because the country boy from Northfield decided that he no longer wanted to make something of himself merely for himself, because he turned his energy, his lack of education, his strange gift of persuading people, and his business skill over to God. The miracle had been done when the ex-shoe salesman and free-lance religious worker took to heart the words; The world has yet to see what God can do with one man wholly committed to Him." Faith Coxe Bailey, D.L. Moody; The Greatest Evangelist of the Nineteenth Century. Moody Press, 1959:158

Courage is a Choice

God tells Joshua to be “strong and of good courage. He tells me, “I will be with you; I will not leave you or forsake you.” Joshua 1:5 says, “ Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight” (Joshua 10:25). (Two scriptures are connected together.)
In order to live victorious Christian lives, in order to posses the land, in order to overcome the enemy, we must make the choice to walk by faith and not by sight. We can take courage from the word of God, remember to encourage one another, and look at situations through God’s eyes, rather than looking at the circumstances. The choice is mine! Have you made the choice? One must make this choice daily