Archive for the ‘Encouraging words’ Category

The Maranatha Manuscripts

Posted: 02/01/2017 in Absolute Truth, Biblical Creation, Biblical inerrancy, Charles Spurgeon, Christian Doctrine, Defending the Faith, Divine Revelation, Encouraging words, folly of atheism, Justified Faith, presuppositional apologetics, presuppositions, self-deception, special revelation, The Bible, Wise words, Witnessing, worldviews
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(A series of scripted correspondences from a ‘Heavenly Helper’ to a Christian Soldier)

[Letter 21]:

Greetings Soldier,

Yes, your suspicions are well founded! We angels do find it very strange, indeed, that anyone would ever willfully deny the existence of God. Remember, we behold His very face in heaven, and there is no shortage of glorious revelation of Himself for those living upon the earth. As one of your great preachers of the past, C.H. Spurgeon, so eloquently stated:

“Atheism is a strange thing. Even the devils never fell into that vice, for the devils believe and tremble.”

Here to serve,

Your Heavenly ‘Angent’

Worth A Thousand Words…

Posted: 11/10/2014 in Absolute Truth, Defending the Faith, Discipleship, Encouraging words, Jesus Christ, Preaching the Gospel, Witnessing
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…Or at least that’s what I’ve always heard about the value of a picture.  That being the case, I thought it would be worth sharing the story behind the photo that you see as my avatar and blog header here.

A few months ago, our Christian men’s group went on a camping trip to one of the national forests around our area and, as I was packing for the trip, I felt compelled to bring along a few gospel tracts as well (for a trip to the middle of the woods??)…..I soon found out why.

As we arrived at our campsite and began to set up camp, a young man from another site walked in carrying a large bottle of wine in one hand and a can of beer in the other. He asked one the guys in our group if anyone had a corkscrew he could use to open the wine. He was given a pocket knife and then knelt down on the ground, poking and prodding at the cork on the wine bottle, trying to open it. I went to my tent and grabbed a couple ‘million dollar’ tracts that I took over to him and used to strike up a conversation. The young man told me that he had been attending church for some time, but quickly confessed that he would go straight to hell if he died, because of his sinful lifestyle. I couldn’t believe it! I was able to share the Gospel with him and then asked if I could pray for him—he agreed.  While I was praying with the young man, one of the brethren captured a photo (unbeknownst to me at the time) of that moment.

After we prayed, he told me that his girlfriend was back at his camp at that she needed to hear this as well.

They returned a few minutes later and we were able to preach the Gospel to her also, using the 10 Commandments to convince her of her sin and that she too was in need of God’s forgiveness!! This was truly one of the most unique and encouraging witnessing encounters I have ever had. The way I see it, people have been wandering into the Enemy’s camp for ages—thank God that He saw fit to allow at least a couple to wander into His camp that day!  I hope that you are as encouraged and inspired by this as we have been here.  To God be the glory!!

A Letter of Encouragement to Faithful Pastors/ Leaders

Posted: 05/21/2014 in Encouragement for pastors/ leaders, Encouraging words
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Dear Faithful Pastors/ Leaders,

Please consider the following:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you live right, people will accuse you of selfish and ulterior motives.

Live right anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten by man tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you may get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

 

I happen to be one of many who are so glad that you decided to give of yourself and to sacrifice for the Lord ‘anyway’. The apostle Paul says that we shouldn’t boast of ourselves, so if I may, I would like to take this opportunity to boast on your accomplishments in Christ; Please indulge me. Consider these things:

 

  • God has used you to build and/ or maintain a Christ centered church from humble beginnings and to lead many souls to Christ, providing them with a solid foundation of Biblical teaching to stand upon.
  • You have been faithful to the Lord and his church and have maintained a good name amongst those that are without, that the name of the Lord and his church be not blasphemed.
  • You have spent countless hours in deep study of God’s word to feed the Lord’s flock the sincere milk and meat of the word which establishes Christian converts and keeps those whom the Lord has chosen from falling.
  • Many times you have encouraged (perhaps without even knowing it) those who were without strength and weary, to fight another day and to travel another mile through your examples and perseverance.
  • The lives you have touched in your ministry are forever changed by your sacrifice and generosity. Though many may never be able to express their true gratitude to you, rest in this truth: the Lord is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love and will recall every kindness and every mercy you have shown when you stand in his presence.
  • The foundation you have laid is a good and true one, upon which others may firmly stand and build together a spiritual building fitly framed together that groweth into a holy temple in the Lord.

 

It is a comfort to know that the criteria God uses to define a successful church are not numbers, nor multi-million dollar budgets, nor even a state-of-the-art building, but rather the heart of the church.  For in the heart of the church lies its character, its love, and its affections. May your heart always beat with passion for the Master and with a desire to lift up his standard in the world through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and may your church ever be a place where true disciples of Christ are molded and shaped by the lives of its leaders and members as they continue to look steadfastly unto Jesus—the Author and Finisher of our faith.

God Bless you for your love, devotion, and rich testimony in Jesus Christ which has made those under your leadership partakers of true greatness. May the Lord keep and strengthen you by the power of his might, now and forevermore. God bless.

 

 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

   And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

   To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

                                                                                                                 –1 Thessalonians 3:11-13