Love Is The Proof That God Changed My Life.

"If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead." 1 John 3:14 (NLT)

Love for Mary . . . love for his God, both simultaneously motivated Joseph to act. A carpenter by trade, his sandaled feet straddled the dirt of the ninety miles necessary to enroll in the census decreed by the Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus. Tenderly caring for her needs, without that love, Mary might have never reached Bethlehem alive! When we are outside of love, we are outside of the will of God, no matter how justified we feel. We read in 1 John 3:14 that "if our life has been changed, it will be proven by the love we show towards others." Most of us would deny the fact that we hate anyone because hate is such a strong term. But the truth is, if we do not actively exercise the love of God toward the people around us, we express hate towards them.

I have seen people in the ministry brutally criticize, step on others, and defame those with whom they work in order to accomplish their ministry goals, as if God's call was solely to build a big ministry. We must understand, however, it is never right to disrespect people, no matter how just the cause. Even though offenses come, we must be certain that they do not come through our hands.

If we do not strive to walk in love with the people around us, we prove that our lives have yet to be touched by God. Without love, whatever we do in the end results in destruction and failure. Without such love, the world might not have seen the Savior's birth. Jesus said it like this: "You will know them by their love..." The question you must ask yourself is: do others know me by my love?

Daily Confession
Father, I thank You that I prove I am changed by the love I show towards my brothers and sisters. I imitate You and love others as You love me.

by Robb Thompson

Always Remember...God is Good!

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. "(Psalm 107:1, NLT).

As a young man growing up, I loved to play baseball. And like any child that ever put on a uniform, I dreamed one day of making it to “the big leagues.” In the world of baseball, there’s nothing bigger than Yankee Stadium, and on Saturday night, I stood at second base in front of a packed crowd.

But instead of a baseball glove in my hand, I had the Word of God. A dream had come true – and it was better than I could have possibly imagined.

Our historic night of hope from Yankee stadium was the first non-baseball event ever held at the world-famous ballpark, and it was also our first open air stadium event as a ministry. It was a night Victoria and I will never forget.

My prayer is that the tens of thousands in attendance and the millions more watching on television will always remember – God is good!

When it feels like your dreams will never come true, when the challenges, pain and pressures in life become overwhelming, you’ll be tempted to forget that God is good. His Word reminds us that His faithfulness and His love endure forever.

God’s goodness is stronger and mightier than anything you’ll face in life. If you’ll keep holding on to your dreams and thanking God for His goodness, He’ll make your dreams come true. And it’ll be better than you could ever have imagined.

On behalf of our entire ministry team, Victoria and I would like to thank you for helping to make this amazing night happen. We believe that God did something extraordinary in the hearts of everyone who experienced this powerful event. We know we could not have done it without your prayers and support.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank you for being so good and loving us so much. Help us to always give thanks, no matter what we’re going through, because we know that we can count on your faithful love that endures forever. Give us the courage to keep holding on to our dreams as we trust in you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

He is strong in you!

Today's Scripture

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"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness…" (Romans 8:26 NLT).

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Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Osteen

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Sometimes, people get distracted by what they consider to be a disadvantage or weakness in their lives. It may be something about their personality or looks that they don't like. Or maybe they've been through an unfair situation: a divorce, a bad business deal, or a bad break. We all have things that can feel like disadvantages; things that make it harder on us. It may even be a physical handicap where you can't get around like you used to.

But just because you have a "disadvantage," just because you've been through a tough time, doesn't mean you're supposed to sit back and settle where you are. God still has something great for you to do! He wants to show Himself strong in and through you. The Holy Spirit wants to help you when you feel weak. If you will stay in faith and not get negative toward yourself or your future, then God can take what you think is a liability and turn it into an asset. What you think is a disadvantage, God will turn around to be an advantage so you can move forward into the abundant life He has for you!

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A Prayer for Today

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Father in heaven, today I give You all that I am. I invite You into the weak places in my life so that You can turn them into strengths. Thank You for working in my life and filling me with faith and expectancy. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

religious jokes

Just a Poor Preacher
"I'm just a poor preacher."
"I know. I've heard your sermons."

Grandpa, Did YouKnow Noah?
Grandson (staring at his grandfather): Grandpa, were you on the ark when the Flood came?
Grandpa: No, certainly not.
Grandson: Well, then, why weren't you drowned?

E-mail Me a Prayer
I had been teaching my three-year-old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer.
Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer:
"Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some e-email. Amen."

Snow Days
A heavy snowstorm closed the schools in one town. When the children returned to school a few days later, one grade school teacher asked her students whether they had used the time away from school constructively.
"I sure did, teacher," one little girl replied. "I just prayed for more snow."

How Many Christians Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?
Charismatic: Only 1 - Hands are already in the air.
Pentecostal: 10 - One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
Presbyterians: None - Lights will go on and off at predestined times.
Roman Catholic: None - Candles only. (Of guaranteed origin of course.)
Baptists: At least 15 - One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.
Episcopalians: 3 - One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks, and one to talk about how much better the old one was.
Mormons: 5 - One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.
Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.
Methodists: Undetermined - Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.
Nazarene: 6 - One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.
Lutherans: None - Lutherans don't believe in change.
Amish: What's a light bulb?

St. George and the Dragon
A tramp knocked on the door of the inn known as St. George and the Dragon. The landlady answered the door.
The tramp said, "Could you give a poor man something to eat?"
"No," said the woman, slamming the door in his face.
He knocked again and said, "Could I have a few words with George?"

Q & A: Before Boaz Married
Q: What kind of man was Boaz before he married?A: Ruthless
Q: What do they call pastors in Germany?A: German shepherds.

Making God Laugh
You know how to you make God laugh?
Tell him your plans.

Bee Inconspicuous
Two bees ran into each other. The first bee asked the other how things were going.
"Really bad," said the second bee. "The weather has been really wet and damp and there aren't any flowers or pollen, so I can't make any honey."
"No problem," said the first bee. "Just fly down five blocks and turn left. Keep going until you see all the cars. There's a Bar Mitzvah going on and there are all kinds of fresh flowers and fruit."
"Thanks for the tip," said the second bee, and he flew away.
A few hours later, the two bees ran into each other again.
The first bee asked, "How'd it go?""Great!" said the second bee. "It was everything you said it would be."
"Uh, what's that thing on your head?" asked the first bee.
"That's my yarmulke," said the second bee. "I didn't want them to think I was a wasp."

Letter Home
A college student wrote a letter home:
Dear folks,
I feel miserable cause I have to keep writing for money. I feel ashamed and unhappy. I have to ask for another hundred, but every cell in my body rebels. I beg on bended knee that you forgive me.
Your son, Marvin
P.S. I felt so terrible I ran after the mailman who picked this up at the box at the corner. I wanted to take this letter and burn it. I prayed to God that I could get it back, but I was too late.
A few days later, he received a letter from his father:
Dear Son,
Good news! Your prayers were answered. Your letter never came!

A Joke for Kids
Q: Why was Adam a famous runner?
A: Because he was first in the human race.

Activating Faith Instead of Fear

We have many opportunities each day to worry and live in fear, from being worried about the economy and our health to our family and children, the list could go on and on! But did you know faith and fear have something in common? They both ask us to believe something is going to happen that we cannot see. Fear says, "Business is slow. You're going to go under." But faith says, "Your best days are still out in front of you." When we give in to thoughts of fear, our perspective becomes distorted. Fear is like a fog. It makes things look worse than what they really are. It might look intimidating, but there is nothing really to it, just a bunch of vapors that can fit in a small glass.

Use your energy to believe and not worry. Our God is all-powerful. He has brought you through in the past, and He is going to bring you through in the future. Surround yourself with people of faith who will speak victory into your life. If you'll be disciplined in your thought life and learn to choose faith instead of fear, you're going be filled with a constant peace and confidence. You were created for a life of victory, not to have your enthusiasm and joy stolen by fear. Choose to walk in faith today. Remember, it takes the same amount of energy to worry as it does to have faith. So switch your gears to having faith and trusting God. God works everything out for good and to your advantage!

-Joel Osteen-

Inspiration for difficult times

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid
spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy..

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Keep well now and be positive!

You're not alone

You're not alone if you are still unconvinced about the reasonableness of faith in Christ. But keep in mind Jesus' claim that we don't have to solve our doubts on our own. He said,"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching come from God or whether I speak on My own" (John 7:17)

If you do see the reasonable of faith in Christ, the Bible offers to you the reassuring promise: " As many received Him, to chose who believe in His name" (John 1:12). The salvation Christ offers is not a reward for effort, but a gift to all who put their trust in Him.