Friendships

Friend Ships - Keeping mercy afloat

Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 12/29/2008 8:25:00 AM

A Christian relief ministry has been able to share Christ's love in word and deed around the world this past year.

The Christian-based humanitarian aid group Friend Ships, which was founded in 1983, owns four ships which it uses for various relief supplies in the United States and abroad. According to the group's website, its vessels are the only U.S.-flagged mercy ships.

The ministry has no paid staff, relying on about 60 full-time volunteers to run its headquarters in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Sondra Tipton, president of Friend Ships, says the ministry is able to stretch donor dollars.

"Primarily the goods are all donated, and the ships are donated -- and when we go into a foreign country, they waive all the fees for us," she explains. "We own our own facility here so there's no overhead; so our expenses are very small relative to the value of the goods and services we are able to provide. If someone contributes [to the ministry], it goes a long way."

Friend Ships can use volunteers of all ages, and many young people find the ministry effort opens a door to missions work. Twenty-year-old Hannah Riley volunteered earlier this year through an 11-month program with Friendships. She was able to travel to California and Honduras and Galveston to help victims of Hurricane Ike. The experience, she shares, was life-changing.

"I walk on faith at Friend Ships," says Riley. "Everything I do is basically walking on faith. You don't get paid and so you don't get money. You have to have faith that God will provide different things for you -- your shoes, for instance; clothing; all kinds of different things, which He does [provide] -- it's so amazing."

Friend Ships has several trips planned for 2009, among them a major outreach in Haiti.

My son Matt Craven served a couple years with this ministry and earned his engineer's licsense working in the engine room on one of these ships! I'm sure it was a very rewarding experience that God provided the opportunity for in his life!

Proud papa, Bill(Dad) Bildad ha ha

Posted by Bills blog stop at 5:24 AM

I would like to welcome my 1st two followers and say thanks for checking out my blog!

The Weekly Walk

Press On!
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. - Philippians 3:12-15
The number one complaint of people struggling in their marriage is the lack of focus and fervency. Women say things like, "Man, what happened to you? You used to be so thoughtful. Where did that guy go when we got home from the honeymoon?" Men say almost the same thing. "Girl, you could not keep your hands off me when we were dating! Where's all that?"
The very same thing can happen in our relationship with the Lord. I wonder if He would say to any of us, "Those first days were so great. You loved Me, and you loved My Word, and you were so fervent; you wanted to grow. So what happened? Where did that person go?"
If you've known the Lord for a while, you may have set the cruise control and are thinking: I'm happy with my spiritual life where it is. I've got the major stuff in place. Oh, there might be a little tweaking to do over the next few years, but for the most part I can coast into heaven. How tragic! Whoever thinks that needs to get their focus and fervency back. We have not yet begun to plumb the depths of all that is ours in Christ. We must maintain the same passion we had when we first came to Christ.
You may read this and think, "I don't agree. I don't think you have to be spiritually passionate all the time." Well, you're just wrong about that. The further you go in Christ, the more you want to see how much more there is—more of Him, more of His Spirit's power, so much more to be experienced and enjoyed. The fervency to go after that needs to go up with time and maturity, not down.
When Paul wrote Philippians, he had been walking with the Lord for decades. Still, he said, "Not that I . . . am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own" (3:12.) "I haven't arrived," he said. "So I'm going after more! I've got a lot of growth ahead of me in my relationship with Jesus. I'm going after it!"
I know that I haven't arrived, but I'm going to press on! Are you doing that?





Walk In The Word

Dr. James MacDonald

Wake Up and Smell The Truth

Here is an article I wrote and posted in my other site, "Hangin With Jesus" sometime ago. I haven't done anything with that site for a long time, so I was reviewing it this morning and came across this piece and decided to share it here. I hope it will help to inspire you to continue in your walk with God as it has me! Thanx for your time, any feedback would be apprieciated!

Bill


Wake up and smell the Truth! Do you ever feel like you are on a long journey and the path you are on leads you down into the pits in a deep valley, and at other times it leads you to the exhillerating highs at the top of a mountainpeak? Ever have one of those inspiring moments when reading something that inspires you and stirs your soul? Well, I have just had such a moment while enjoying my favorite morning brew at one of my favorite places. What and where else? Starbucks, of course! Easy, Easy! Calm Down! If big coffee corporations make you uneasy and you prefer to support small business, I have no quarrel with you! I just like the coffee and atmosphere here.But back to my question, I was reading my daily study in Our Daily Bread, and the scripture that went along with it, (Nehemiah 4:1-14). This takes place at a time when the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon. Nehemiah was sent to Jerusalem to lead the people there to rebuild and fortify the city and it's fortress walls. When all their enemies in the surrounding areas heard about it, they were very angry and banded together in an attempt to stop the rebuilding! However, Nehemiah was wise to their schemes, and he organized the people not only for the work, but armed them and set them on guard to stop the enemy. Then, they have their own people coming against them from within! Whining and complaining in fear and only seeing all the negatives! But that didn't stop Nehemiah, he bathed the whole situation in prayers, submitting it to God, then trusting Him for protection, dealt with the situations as they arouse and completed the work. But the closer the work was to completion, the angrier the enemy got, and the more they came against them!If you are a Christian, you know that there are real enemies to our soul attacking from a spiritual dimension! If you are not a Christian, you may not be aware of it, but alot of the things in life that are just vexing and downright evil are coming from a real enemy, Satan, and his demons! And I'm not talking about a little guy with a pointed tail and a pitchfork! The Bible tells us all about these spiritual entities. I believe we need to help each other, like Nehemiah, to keep our guard up and commit to help each other stand strong in the face of an enemy that we cannot see, but just as sure as we can feel the wind in our face, we can feel the effects of his attacks on our emotions and our physical being! Let us not bow down to the nay sayers and people who want to drag us down! We need to pray for them and ask God to encourage them to see things more positively, keeping ourselves on course to finish our journey and bring as many along as we possibly can!I think as we read through this scripture section, we can see parallels to Sanballat and the devil with all his schemes to tear down any spiritual growth and building of strength in our walk and lives, but he is no match for God and His might on our behalf! I think we all have times when we are so weak in our own humanity that we just want to give up! So much easier to grab an innertube and float on down the lazy river with the rest of the world around us. Sound arrogant! I don't mean it to be. Jesus himself said wide is the road that leads to destruction and there are many on that road, and narrow is the gate that leads to life and there are few that will enter through the gate! Please join us on the road to Eternal life with God if you haven't already! You won't be sorry! I'd better post this before I give in to one of those weak moments and decide against it! As always, in Christ, cdcwilly, aka, Bill

Ode to a Beautiful woman!

I would like to take a moment to mention what a wonderful, Godly woman the Lord has BLESSED me with!!!!! I venture to say that not many women would be able to put up with me for very long, but Patty not only does this, but she is also kind and thoughtful, always conscious of others and their needs. She is sensitive and loving, a dedicated employee on her job, sometimes to to point of tears for want of a way to be able to accomplish the impossible demands of her position. She has taken on my three sons as her own and shown them the love many birth mothers don't even give. We have been married for 17 wonderful years and I can honestly say we have not had any real fights which totally amazes me! Don't get me wrong, we are human, after all, we do have times when we may get on each others nerves! But I guess God has given us both the wisdom to be able to read the signs of frustrations at the time so that we give each other space at these times and come back to it later if it needs discussion, and not if it doesn't. All this to say, I love Patty dearly and I thank God for Blessing me with an angel in disguise!
A grateful husband,
Bill, aka cdcwilly

Posted by Bills blog stop at 8:42 AM

Guidelines

I recommend the link for this site below for your own devotions! Bill

10 October 2008

THE ONGOING WORK OF RESTORATION

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Suppose you found a painting in your attic covered with dust and grime, but as you gently wiped it off, you begin to see a beautiful picture much obscured by the dirt and filth that has accumulated with the passing of time. But sensing that this is something which might be worth a great deal, you take it to an art dealer and ask for his help. In a few days, you receive a phone call from the art dealer. He's almost breathless with excitement as he informs you that what you found in your old attic is an old masterpiece, and should be hanging in one of the great art galleries of the world, not buried in your attic.

I will never forget my first visit to the Sistine Chapel to view the great work of Michelangelo. Yes, the paintings were profound but they were dark and dingy. The grime of several centuries covered their beautiful tones. Then came the restoration done by the world's leading experts. On my next visit, the paintings had come alive. Yes, they were the same ones painted by the great artist, but the restoration and cleansing made the difference.

Restoration, of course, is not without a price to pay. It is much easier to just leave something alone than to go to the work of restoring it, applying cleansers in just the right amounts, with just the right pressure which will not permanently destroy the original.

In a real sense, spiritual restoration was the great work of Jesus Christ, a work so important that God sent His Son to accomplish the cleansing and healing of the masterpiece which God made at creation.

Jesus' character showed us what God intended us to be, and His ministry, which cut to the core of human nature, began stripping off the veneer of hypocrisy and the superficiality of religion which had built up over the centuries. What man had corrupted, Jesus restored.

Yes, it was painful. Men much preferred that He not disturb the status quo, that He not lay bare the corrupted hearts of humankind, that He not condemn the religious establishment which had made a pretense of worship and holiness.

Jesus' most scathing words of condemnation were directed not to the homeless, or the woman taken in the act of adultery, nor the blind beggars who sat by the side of the road asking for a morsel of bread, but to the religious establishment, to those whose lives should have been given to bringing men back to the path that leads to God instead of making them twice the sons of hell.

Jesus also showed us what God is like: a loving God who wills restoration for all of his creatures. Frankly, the work of restoration which God sent His Son to begin continues. It's the great work of the Church, touching the lives of people wherever they are, as God's Holy Spirit cleanses the grime and the filth and brings restoration and healing.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,” says Paul, “he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). That's restoration.

A closing thought. No person is ever beyond the point of restoration and reconciliation with a loving God. No, regardless of what your conscience tells you, or what others may tell you, God still considers you to be a person worth saving. There's hope, friend. In reality, your feelings of worthlessness and your fears are your own worst enemies.

May I suggest that you read John 3 from the New Testament and there see yourself included in the "Whoever” of John 3:16? Remember those familiar words, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Ah, yes, that is what restoration is all about.

Resource reading : John 3:1-17

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New changes on this blog

Hello to all!

It's been awhile since I have added any personal communication to my blog. I have tried to maintain this as a predominately Christian web page. I hope some of my liberties in the spirit of freedom from the "Law" have not offended anybody, in spite of it's seeming impossibility! However, I have enabled a comments link under each entry and have yet to receive more than one comment and it was positive! I have recently edited my links list at the bottom of the web page and invite you to check them out, there are a lot of good resources on the list, and I am adding to it as I come across more sites. A little disclaimer: some of the little video clips are from public sites and after it plays, there may be access to other clips that may offend, I have no intention that anybody follow or click on these. If you will simply continue to the next article and move on down to the next item posted, you will only see the original clip I intended to share.
My wife Patty and I are both Christians and we Love Jesus and strive to honor God with our lives and endeavors !
I welcome your feedback and comments, however, please keep them constructive and reasonable, not judgmental and vindictive. I would also like to invite you to peruse through the archives back to the beginning at your leisure and enjoy yourself. I also have included several players with different types of music for individual tastes. If you listen while you look at the site, you may need to scroll back to the player and pause it while you open a video clip so you don't hear both audio tracks at the same time. Also, if you want to use one of the links at the bottom, you can right click to open it in a new tab and the music should keep playing unless you don't want it to play while on the other site, then just pause it first as described above.

Just one more thing I would like to add, if you will look down the sidebar on the right, you will come across my wife listed as a contributor, if you will click on her name"Pattycakes", she has her own site, please open it and check it out! I think you will like it!

With all that said, "more than I intended", please let us know what you think in the comments and may we encourage you to keep your faith in "The Way" and be strong in the Lord!!

In Christ, Bill, aka: cdcwilly

Daily Word from Dr. Jack Graham

Welcome to Power Point with Jack Graham, a free devotional from Crosswalk.com, the world's largest Christian website. We honor your privacy and time. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs, please use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter and you will be removed immediately.

August 21, 2008

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

--1 Thessalonians 5:24

Maybe someone has let you down recently. Or maybe you've let yourself down. Take heart! God is faithful. He will do what He says He will do.

And not only is God faithful and reliable, but He is committed to your spiritual growth and maturity. First Thessalonians 5:23-24 says, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

I love that! Because it promises you and me that God is constantly working on us... creatively, constructively, and continually. The Spirit of God is working in your body and in your soul. And His purpose is to make you more like Him!

Remember when you were a teenager and you couldn't wait to grow up? That's how we feel sometimes as Christians. When will we ever grow up? When will we ever be responsible in the Christian life? When will we ever be obedient in the Christian life? It's so easy to become frustrated with ourselves!

But we need to remember that God is patient... and that God is persevering. And according to Philippians 1:6, "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

And when God gets through with you, you're going to stand complete, perfect in the glory of Jesus Christ. You shall arise in His likeness. You will be like Jesus. That's God's goal in your life and mine... and He will be faithful to perform it!

ARE YOU TRYING TO STAND ON YOUR OWN TODAY? OR ARE YOU DEPENDING ON GOD?

Crosswalk: Power Point with Jack Graham

August 15, 2008

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

--1 John 5:14

You and I know that prayer changes things. It's a clear promise from Scripture.

But did you know that prayer also changes you and me? It changes our priorities, and it gets our lives in sync with God's plan.

There's a great formula for prayer I learned from my fellow pastor and friend, Dr. Ed Young from Houston. It's the acronym SELF:

S stands for surrender. Each day, you and I must surrender our lives to the Lord. We must say, "Lord, I report for duty, I give You my life today. I am Your child and I want to be in Your will today."

E stands for empty. Once you surrender your life to Christ each day, you must empty yourself of self and sin and anything else that would keep you from fulfilling God's plan and purpose for your life.

You must say, "Lord, I empty all my unresolved conflicts and issues. I want to get rid of everything that would keep me from connecting with You today."

L stands for lift. Once you surrender your life to the Lord Jesus and empty yourself of everything that would hinder your relationship with Him, you must lift your heart in praise, petition, and thanksgiving.

F stands for fill. This is when you ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit so that you will live in the fullness of His power and His blessing.

So SELF is surrendering, it is emptying, it is lifting, and it is filling. And if you do theses things in prayer every day, not only is your relationship with Christ going to be that much sweeter, you'll make an eternal impact on the world for Jesus Christ!

DURING YOUR PRAYER TIME TODAY, GO THROUGH THE STEPS FOR "SELF."

I was really impressed with this when I read it today, awesome! I think it is ironic that the meaning of the acronym "self" is totally opposite of being filled with "self"!

Bill

Power Point, by, Jack Graham

July 7, 2008

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

--1 Peter 1:3-4

In these troubling times, have you ever wondered if we can really be hopeful about the future? I want to assure you that it is possible to live with hope, despite what may be going on around us.

Because while hope is ultimately about the future, it's also about the present. And that's because we have a living hope.

Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ we have hope. It's because He lives that hope can reside in your heart if you're a Christian.

And because of that, there is no need to fear the future! If you are a child of God, you are chosen and called by Him. You're not an accident, an afterthought, or a mistake. You have been in the heart and mind of God forever, and He has already been planning and preparing your future.

In fact, God knows the end from the beginning... and everything else in your life. That's comforting when we face tough times and when we're tempted to give up. It's encouraging to know that we are never, ever without hope!

So today, if you're tempted to give up on your marriage, don't! If you're thinking about giving up on your kids, don't! If you want to give up on your dreams... or even life itself... don't!

Remember that you have a living hope that is working in your past, your present, and your future. And as the Scripture teaches us in Romans chapter 5, that hope does not disappoint!

TODAY, GIVE GOD THANKS FOR KEEPING YOUR FUTURE IN HIS HANDS!

In Touch, by Charles Stanly

July 5, 2008 -- Rekindling the Flame -- 1 Timothy 4:14-16

Sadly, a believer's passion to serve the Lord and share the gospel sometimes fades. When this happens, some choose to settle for a lukewarm life. They neither risk much for His name nor receive many blessings. Others stop ministering altogether and drift aimlessly through life. But the wise choice is to rekindle the flame of passion that first lit when we received salvation.

When we were saved, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit, our Helper in ministry. But wrong choices and poor priorities can hinder His power in our life. If that happens, how can we renew our passion for God?

The first step is to pray for the Holy Spirit to fill--or control--us again. That requires self-examination and repentance of any sins the Lord brings to mind. It also means giving back to God the right to reign over our life. Next, think about what was and what wasn't happening in life when our passion last burned brightly. Understanding how external pressures and activities affect our ministry helps us prioritize wisely.

A smart last step is to retreat and devote a day or more to refocus on the Lord. This is a good time to recall His words of encouragement from Isaiah 41:10. In that way, we can resist fixating on problems. Instead, it's important to remember that He'll shepherd us through any trial. The more we focus on God, the smaller our distractions and stress will seem.

We don't need to settle for a lukewarm life. The passion we experienced at salvation can be ours again if we'll fix our focus on the Lord.

Sunday, June 29, 2008
Carry The Light-9/11 Memorial

This is an awesome video and the message is that we as Christians must carry the light of Christ's message to the world. His love for us is free, all we have to do is accept it.
Posted by Pattycakes at 3:55 PM

ps: Pattycakes is my wonderful wife of 17 years!

Make a Smilebox free ecard

Make a Smilebox free ecard

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A day at the park

Alone in Tokyo HD from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Daily Word by Dr. Jack Graham-Power Point

May 7, 2008

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

--Matthew 7:21

Being a follower of Jesus Christ is a matter of the heart... it's not about following rules or rituals, or being "religious" as some people think.

Of course, it's important to obey the Lord's commands, and by doing so, you demonstrate your love for Him. But God has always been more interested in the state of your heart than what you can do to impress Him.

When your heart is humble and you genuinely seek to serve Him because of your relationship with Him, He is pleased by that.

But He sees right through the façade when a person is simply going through the motions, or doing their "good works" to receive applause from men. This kind of "religion" will never win God's favor.

That's the difference between being a disciple of Jesus and being "religious". Keep your heart engaged with Him and serve Him out of true devotion, and you will bring pleasure to the heart of God.

GOD IS NOT IMPRESSED BY "RELIGION",
BUT BY HEARTFELT DEVOTION TO HIM.

Daruvar on Vimeo By Vedran

Daruvar from Vedran on Vimeo.

Growing in the storms

The Weekly Walk from James MacDonald
Facing Uncertainty
The Weekly Walk

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Matthew 8:23-26

Why didn’t somebody tell me earlier in my life that I can’t fix everything? I thought that with due diligence, everything can get resolved. If there were things up ahead that concerned me, I could just make a plan to solve them. In time, I could have it all figured out and then set the automatic “good life” pilot and let it take over.

It’s only more recently that I have grasped that life will never be “together” this side of eternity. It’s hard to accept sometimes that perfect is only for heaven.

There will always be people problems. There will always be financial challenges.

There will always be a home burden, or a crisis of some kind. Every day I live in this world, there will always be some uncertainty ringing my doorbell.

So much for my assumption that if you worked hard enough, eventually everything would be sorted out, categorized, and put neatly on the shelf. I have never gotten to that day and what’s more, I now know it’s never coming.

In Matthew 8:23–24, we land in Jesus’ life on a day that perfectly illustrates the imperfections of human existence. “When he got into the boat, His disciplines followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm.” In the original language, the two words great storm can be translated to mega and seismic. As in, And behold, there arose a mega seismic on the sea, so that the boat was consumed by the waves. It’s worth remembering that this description comes from Matthew, one of the disciples who wasn’t a fisherman. He had the terrified layman’s perspective on this storm!

I have a few questions about that whole scene:

1. Did Jesus not check the Weather Channel? He totally knew that storm was coming yet He led them right into it. Get in the boat, boys. He knowingly took them into harm’s way.

2. Could Jesus have stopped the storm before it started? Sure He could have but He let the storm come.

3. So is it true to say that He wanted the storm? I think we could surmise that He was actually looking forward to how He was going to use the storm in the disciples’ lives.

Let’s get our theology straight. Sometimes Jesus disguises exciting opportunities for personal growth as difficult circumstances. We would choose to avoid trials at all costs, but Jesus sees the bigger picture.

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Police State?

example from V2F video conversion

Our trip to New Mexico

Don't be fooled by spiritual quicksand!

More Wilderness Park

Ducks-Wilderness Park from Bill Craven on Vimeo.

Patriotic Tribute to our Military

We need to daily lift our troops up in prayer..

I Can Only Imagine

What will it be like?!

More from vimeo

Canon HV20/ Letus Extreme mini test from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Amazing film from vimeo

The Tramway from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Who are you?

clipped from mail.google.com Humorist Will Rogers said, "So live that you would not mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip."  That is the idea of integrity: having nothing in our lives to be ashamed of.  This personal integrity is something we are developing on a daily basis with every thought we think and every action we take.  We are either building up character or tearing it down. What kind of character do you have?  Who are you in private?  For all practical purposes, that is the real you. Copyright © 2008 by Harvest Ministries.  All rights reserved.  Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to  www.harvest.org.

Man's best friend!

clipped from mail.google.com Conditional Obedience My dog practices selective listening.  When he doesn't like what I am saying, he acts as though he doesn't understand me.  If he is in my room at bedtime and I tell him to leave, he looks at me as if to say, "What?"  It's as though his hearing is gone.  On the other hand, he can be asleep behind closed doors, and if I go downstairs, open the cupboard, and pull out his leash, he suddenly has supersonic hearing.  He is right there at my side.  We can be the same with God.  When God tells us to do something we like, we say, "Yes, Lord!"  But when He tells us to stop doing something, we say, "God, I think you're cutting out on me.  I'm not hearing you clearly." If God tells you to do something, He says it for good reason, and you need to obey Him.  If God says not to do something, He also says it for good reason.  Even if you don't understand it, obey Him. For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to  www.harvest.org.

More alike than we thought!

A Powerful Lesson From ER

What's On Your Mind?

Greg Laurie Daily Devotions

Friday, March 14, 2008

What's on Your Mind?

" 'So commit yourselves completely to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.' " (Deuteronomy 11:18--19)

People sometimes ask me to sign their Bibles, which is not something I like to do, because I didn't write it. But when someone insists, I usually write this inscription in his or her Bible: "Sin will keep you from this book and this book will keep you from sin."

I have found that sin will always keep you away from the Bible, because the devil wants to keep you out of God's Word. He doesn't care if you read magazines. He doesn't care if you watch television. He doesn't care if you read the latest novel on the bestseller list. He doesn't care if you watch movies. But the minute you pick up the Bible and crack it open, you had better believe that he will try to distract you with everything he has. He doesn't want you to read it.

On the other hand, if you follow what the Bible teaches, it will keep you from sin. That is why we need to know the Bible. That is why we need to study it. While it is a great idea to carry a Bible in your briefcase, pocket, or purse, the best place to carry it is in your heart. Know it well. Fill the memory banks God has given you with Scripture, because the devil will attack you in the realm of your mind. The best defense is a mind that is filled with God's Word.

Copyright © 2008 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Bill's Room

Bill's Room from Bill Newsinger on Vimeo.

Back by popular demand

Resurrection Band video on FoxyTunes Planet

[via FoxyTunes / Resurrection Band]

Walter Trout - Dust my broom

[via FoxyTunes / Walter Trout]

BENISE - Mi Amor

John Williams plays A.Barrios Mangore

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Wilderness Park

Strunz & Farah 1993

[via FoxyTunes / Strunz & Farah]

Eric Clapton - Forever Man (Video)

[via FoxyTunes / Eric Clapton]

Lost in an atomic age

clipped from mail.google.com In 1948, U. S. General Omar Bradley made this statement: "We have grasped the mystery of the atom and we have rejected the Sermon on the Mount.  The world has achieved brilliance without conscience.  Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants." If that was true in 1948, it's definitely true now.

New Mexico

A Jesus Nut

clipped from www.rbc.org 'A Jesus Nut' A Navy pilot was describing his complex helicopter to his parents one day. He told them that a small hexagonal nut held the main rotor to the mast of the helicopter. "Guess what we call that nut?" he asked his mother. She could only shrug her shoulders. With a smile, the pilot answered his own question: "It's called a Jesus nut." That may sound irreverent, but here's an explanation. If that small piece of metal ever came off, the helicopter would not be able to stay in the air but would come crashing to the ground. So it's understandable why pilots in the Vietnam War gave that little part the name "Jesus nut." The writer to the Hebrews said that Jesus, who made the world, upholds "all things by the word of His power" (1:3). Because of Him, we inhabit a created cosmos, not a chaotic accident. He who made all reality keeps it from collapsing. We also need Jesus Christ

Life Beyond The Rituals

clipped from www.rbc.org Life Beyond The Rituals Jesus is not content to be just our “fire insurance,” saving us from eternal punishment in hell. Rather, He wants us to know Him for who He really is, and He desires to connect with us on a deeper, more personal level. If you are weary of a religion that is about rules and regulations, then welcome to life beyond the rituals. Welcome to a relationship in which you can find companionship, comfort, wisdom, and reality. Welcome to the wonderful privilege of getting to know Jesus and the joy of following Him. Get to know Him—and you’ll grow to love Him more and more each day. —Joe Stowell

More than a safety net!

Live for today

clipped from mail.google.com Just as John Maxwell says, "Today is the most important day of my life. Yesterday with its successes and victories, struggles and failures, is gone forever. The past is past. Done! Finished! I cannot relive it. I cannot go back and change it. But I will learn from it and improve my today. Today, this moment, now! It is God's gift to me and it is all that I have."   MAKE today... and EVERY DAY... COUNT FOR CHRIST!

Hello!
It's been a while since I have written anything of my own, forgive me for getting caught up in so many distractions which keep me from inputting a personal note here and there! Of course, all content displayed in this blog is a reflection of my personal touch, however, I would like to add a little more of my comments, be they good, or bad depending on your point of view. Hopefully, they will be in line with the way of our Lord Jesus Christ! Following this post is a lesson from Dr. James MacDonald. In it, he mentions selfishness which plagues us all and likens self to a dog barking for attention! This reminds me of a lesson from Greg Laurie about the Indian proverb: our old nature and new nature are like two dogs, both fighting to win over the other in our life and attitudes. When asked which one will win, the wise old man said "simple, the one that I feed the most!" This hits home with me this morning, as I was feeling out of sorts with God because of my stubborn behavior and self will! This little lesson from "Walk In The Word" hit the nail on the head! As we walk the road of life together in "The Way", lets encourage and pray for each other and ask Jesus to help us feed the "right dog!"

cdcwilly

WALK IN THE WORD
with Dr. James MacDonald


Healing Family Hurts

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Have you got some hurdles to overcome in your family relationships? You know—some things that need to change and improve at your house? All of us can at one time or another admit to family problems, causing family pain.

I have just one word to offer you as you seek help and healing for your family: love. Love is relational dynamite that obliterates all obstacles in its path. Talking won’t do that for you. Pressuring won’t; prodding, insisting, demanding, getting selfish—these all will only tear your life and family apart. But 1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails.”

Love never fails to what? Let me point out three things that it will handle for you:

#1 Love never fails to conquer selfishness. I am selfish and so are you. We never have to work at self; it’s just right there barking for attention. Love conquers the biggest obstacle in me: selfishness.

#2 Love never fails to conquer skepticism. Over time, it’s easy to doubt that anything is ever going to change. Your family disappoints you and you want to bail but love holds on.

But James, we’ve got real problems over at our house and some pep talk on love is not going to fix it.

You’re right—that’s why we need 1 Corinthians 13:6, “[Love] does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

#3 Love never fails to rejoice in the truth. Love doesn’t sit back in some happy delusion that everything will be okay. Love doesn’t deny problems, but works to see them changed. Love is an action before it’s a feeling.

Here’s your assignment this week:

* In love, serve your family when they choose to be selfish.
* In love, humble yourself before your family when conflict creates distance.
* In love, forgive your family by releasing them from the obligation that resulted when they hurt you. Don’t hold it over them.
* And lastly, in love, speak God’s Word in any situation regardless of the cost. Truth, delivered with love, is what sets us free.

Love gives God an opportunity to work. It’s a tool in His hands to work through you in helping your family.

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

January 28, 2008 -- Living Clean in a Contaminated World -- 2 Corinthians 6:14 -- 7:1

When Satan was cast down from heaven, he was given dominion over earth for a period of time. Known as the father of lies (John 8:44), he opposes anything related to the Lord. Because we are all made in God's image, the Enemy seeks to thwart us. Under his rule, our world has become morally and spiritually contaminated.

We come into the world physically alive but spiritually dead and in rebellion against the Lord (Ephesians 2:1-2). Yet by trusting Jesus as our Savior, we receive a new nature and are adopted into God's family. Before salvation, man is enslaved to sin and unable to free himself. But through the Holy Spirit, believers have the power to say no to wrongdoing and yes to godliness (Titus 2:12).

Because of our new identity as children of God, we can't let ourselves become bound together intimately with unbelievers--we no longer share the same nature or purpose. Followers of Jesus are called to serve as His ambassadors, spreading knowledge of the Savior and living righteous lives. We're to put aside our own desires and instead embrace His. In addition, we must admit when we've sinned and then seek His forgiveness. And of course, we worship the heavenly Father through His Son. These concepts are foreign to someone who doesn't belong to Christ.

We are wise to choose as our most intimate friends and trusted advisors those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior. How beneficial it is to receive counsel based on Scripture and to have role models who point us toward the Son.

Power Point With Jack Graham

DAILY WORD



January 24, 2008



But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

--Romans 5:8



Once there was a red bird at my house that kept flying into our window. Over and over again, it flew right into the glass... until it eventually killed itself.



It didn't matter what I did to try to get that cardinal not to keep ramming its head into our window! Nothing I did... no shooing or swatting or yelling could stop that bird from doing what it thought it should be doing. And in the end, that bird paid the price for its ignorance with its life.



Isn't that how it is for so many people today? We try to live life on our terms, doing things the way we think they should be done... not realizing that our repeated attempts at finding meaning or security always end in vain.



But that is what's so great about our God. He saw us in our ignorance... in our sin... and He knew the only way to speak to us... to save us... was to become one of us.



God didn't just see our plight, our need, and our impending death and walk away and give up. He came all this way to live in our hearts, to reconcile us unto Himself! As the apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:18, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself...."



So let me ask you, have you been living life like that little red bird? Have you been repeatedly trying in vain to live life your own reckless way... ignoring the warning signs from God and those around you?



If so, it's my prayer that you will be reconciled to God. Turn to Him... and live in the freedom He wants to give you!



TURN TO JESUS TODAY... AND LIVE IN THE FREEDOM HE WANTS TO GIVE YOU!

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

January 23, 2008 -- God's Plan to Take Away Our Guilt -- Romans 8:1-8

Scripture teaches that one aspect of the Holy Spirit's work is to convict man about his sin (John 16:8). His purpose is to turn us from our iniquity and direct us to God.

Peter felt great remorse after denying that he knew Jesus (Matthew 26:75). Paul fell to his knees when Christ confronted him about his wrong behavior (Acts 9:4). Both men responded to these convicting experiences by repenting and following the Lord.

At one time we all were spiritually dead. Sin's presence was corrupting our human nature from the inside out, blinding us to spiritual truth. With our will directed towards self and against God, "we were by nature objects of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3 niv). In other words, we were under condemnation and facing eternal death--God's required payment for our transgressions (Romans 6:23). So in our natural state, we were unconnected to the Lord and headed toward eternal separation from Him.

Although we were helpless to change our situation, God had a plan that would satisfy His justice and place us in His family. He sent His Son to be our substitute--to bear our sin and guilt and to die in our place. Not only did Jesus pay our sin-debt in full, but His righteousness becomes ours the moment we place trust in Him.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our guilt before God, and thankfully, we don't have to be separated from Him now or throughout eternity. Have you received Jesus as your personal Savior? If so, then recognize that your position before the Lord has been changed from guilty to righteous.

China Is Beautiful

clipped from www.slightlywarped.com clipped from www.slightlywarped.com clipped from www.slightlywarped.com

The fool on the hill?

clipped from www.walkintheword.com The professor then jokingly said, “Well, then it would have gotten here on its own.” How foolish! But isn’t that exactly what people do? They look at our universe, so incredibly complex and vast that it makes our minds swim when we study it, and they deny God’s work. The human mind cannot even comprehend the universe that God made yet some people arrogantly make this exception, “Well, this is the one time that there was an effect without a cause—the one time we got this whole thing from nothing.” The fool has said in his heart there is no God.” Some people stand off at a distance with phony intellectualism and say, “Well, I don’t see the proof for God.” Then please go out on a starlit night and look up at the skies. Now what’s your answer? The heavens itself testify to God’s glory. A design shouts a designer. I’m convinced by these arguments and choose to believe in a sovereign Creator God.

click on the link and think

I am sharing another article from James MacDonald. I love this guy's perspective and faithfulness! I agree with this article, but I sometimes have trouble following all the advise and instruction in my daily life. I think in some sense, we all have a little bit of a lawyer in us, because we sure know how to find and jump through "loop holes" of compromise when we just want to do what we do! Another thing that plagues me is when I am around others that are either non-believers or non-committed Christians, I have a tendency to go along with jokes, or at least tolerate them without comment, or without leaving the room, maybe because I don't want to be thought of as a "Holy Joe"! I don't think I'm alone with these struggles. If you are willing, may we agree to pray for one another and ask God to help us change our habits that are not pleasing to Him and to strengthen our resolve to be more consistent in our walk and daily life style! After all, we are in this together!
Love in Christ,
cdcwilly



Because I Belong to God

For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:15

A lot of people will wake up this Tuesday morning filled with the resolution that in 2008, they will be different. They will think differently, they will do different things, and subsequently, life will be better. At least that’s what they hope.

But within a few days or weeks, most if not all, will lapse back into old behaviors, old attitudes, old patterns. That goes for Christians, too.

No matter how passionately you feel about pleasing God right now, living a holy life in 2008 will depend on a few key decisions.

Decision #1: Will I live my life in the power of God’s Spirit and not in my own strength or willpower?

Decision #2: Will my personal life be determined by God’s Word and its wise application? Between me and God—I will live according to what He has said is right.

The Bible describes this as holiness—being “set apart; separate.” The word actually means “to mark off a boundary.” Read 2 Corinthians 6:15-19 at the top of the page for specifics.

Separation is holiness in action. It’s drawing a line in the sand and saying, “I don’t go there; I don’t look at that; I won’t tolerate that in my life. I belong to God. I’ve made a choice and by God’s grace I’m not going back.”

Living a holy life begins with building convictions and living within those boundaries. The best time to make that lifestyle decision is today—before you’re in the heat of the moment, apart from the pressure of the choice.

Have you drawn protective, preventative lines around your life? If you haven’t established your own convictions based on God’s Word, you’re going to fail. You might do O.K. for a season, but if you don’t heed God’s call to come out and be separate, you’ll waffle right back into that old pattern of defeat.

If you’re ready to break the cycle, start here. Say, “I resolve once and for all that with the Spirit’s help and power, I’m doing it God’s way. I belong to Him.”

Maybe you’ve been struggling in a particular area of sin and you wonder if you’ll ever get victory. Hear the tender call of your loving Father, be done with that. Those things don’t fit in your life.

Maybe you’ve tolerated your rationalized behavior a long time and the Spirit of God wants your attention about the compromises you’ve been excusing. Before you make a choice you can’t reverse and reap a whirlwind of consequences, heed the piercing word of His Spirit saying, “Come out from that and be separate.”

I don’t know how the command could be any clearer, loved ones. God’s Word says to separate from the world’s lifestyle. Don’t touch what is unclean; don’t sit on the fence, don’t straddle the line, don’t be double minded. God’s says: “Be holy as I am holy.”

There’s joy and blessing waiting for you in 2008 when you live in the protective boundaries of God’s holy call on your life.


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Revelation 3:14-22 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
[NKJV at Thomas Nelson] [Thomas Nelson, Inc.]

If you enter your name in place of the church of Laodiceans as I did, it will give you a different perspective! Let us not be in a position in our walk that we would receive this rebuke!



The Lukewarm Church

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans[a] write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[b] I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”