Just some genius from LifeChurch.tv in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Genius quote: “If we break up, this does not mean it wasn’t special to me.”

Oprah’s New Jesus (Ben Arment)
Excerpt:

Oprah has skyrocketed the career of another author on her book club. But this endorsement is a bit heart-wrenching. She’s taking her fans through a year-long “Course in Miracles” by Marianne Williamson. Each day, her book club site features a different lesson on this essentially new religion. Here are some quotes from this book:

• “There is no sin.”
• “A slain Christ has no meaning.”
• “The journey to the cross should be the last ‘ useless journey.”
• “Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.”
• “The name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol… It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray.”
• “The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself.”
• “The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.”

I have but one thing to say:

Romans 3:21-26 (NKJV) But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Evangelism: The Power of “THE ASK”

Pete by Chris Elrod (site):

This is Pete.

Pete has smoked since he was teenager.

Pete struggled most of his life with alcohol.

Pete used to shoot people when he’d get angry.

Pete spent 15 years behind bars.

Pete has cancer…a bunch of cancer.

Pete has been given only a few months to live.

Pete has a tattoo on his leg that says “Hell Bound”.

Pete won’t be going there.

Pete came to know Jesus two weeks ago.

Pete was baptized today.

Reminds me of a passage I told to my son the other day:

Luke 23:39-43 (NKJV) Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.“

The other criminal who had nothing but faith to save him. There was no possible way he could have done one good deed while hanging on the cross while Jesus was right there, being crucified along him and paying for his sins. But by sheer faith, that man believed. By sheer faith, he was saved.

No amount of good works will get us into heaven. No amount of good works makes us better than the next human. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Fortunately, Jesus came into this world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

I have been a bit fixated on passages in the Bible that pertain to leadership, pastoring, teaching or simply, “feeding His sheep”.

In my daily reading, I love to make note of anything that pops out and be sure to bookmark it. I am reading through the New Living Translation starting with John and then going into Romans. This particular passage of scriptures from the beginning of Romans 9 jumped out at me:

Romans 9:1-3 (NLT) With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.

In my journey in hopes of becoming a pastor, only by the will of God, my Young Adults Pastor, Preston Morrison, said something a couple of weeks ago that was so encouraging. He said, “We all have flocks that we tend to, that we care for, that we must go and rescue if one gets lost from the 99.”

I then stepped back and suddenly notice that God did give me sheep to take care of. I suddenly ask God to help me because I can’t do this on my own.

These wonderful burdens have been placed on my heart and I am simply in love with my “kids’. When you know that one is astray, you want to do whatever it took to bring that one home. Paul felt my same burden, multiply a million times over, for with his fellow comrades and countrymen, the Israelites, God’s chosen people. What I gathered from this passage is that Paul was dwelling on the lack of salvation of his people and for one split moment, he felt the weight of having to save his people on his own. Paul felt it would be a whole lot easier for him to split from Christ if that could possibly save the entire nation of Israel.

In that split second of unbearable weight, I know that Paul quickly remembered that he serves an incredible God and that it was only One that could save the world which would be Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. When somebody who are close to you is unsaved, remember that you are planting seeds within their hearts with your walk in faith. God will water the ground and shine His light upon them.