Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Great quote on Prayer

I think the secret of loving God “more” is to order our lives in such a way that we intentionally and consistently experience the face of God through prayer. Loving God more is possible if we intentionally face God more. This is why the Psalmist prayed again and again, “Restore us, O God; make yourface shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Psa. 80:3). I want more face time with God. I want to forget Him less. This journey of faith is all about gazing at the One who is invisible. That’s what prayer is. And I want to journey well.

From:

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/why-we-sometimes-dont-pray

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Interesting article on Trust in america

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_289563/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=qpUIZlSd

Basically, the report says we don’t trust others in America. The author says he doesn’t know why and gives some less than reasonable responses. The real reason we don’t trust people is because we no longer uphold the word of God.  We aren’t accountable to a higher power that demands we love one other selflessly, that we obey the golden rule, that we seek after one another’s best interest. Outside of that, we will always seek after our own selfish interest. 

Just watched this spectacular music video during Billy Graham's America's Hope program. Spectacular

Lacey Sturm - Mercy Tree (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrgl9z3grKU

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Faith Comes by Hearing

This ministry is so great!  Check it out. I heard a presentation from Troy Carl, their head guy. It was amazing. They are Crowd Sourcing audio Bible translation work.  Cutting Edge!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_XtDcFJJs

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Friday, September 13, 2013

Great Quote

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." ~C.S. Lewis

 

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Missionary quote

Missionaries who think they're going overseas to do a great work for Jesus amuse me. First, we merely participate in the work God is already doing. This is well explained in the book Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby. Of course, all our friends at home will tell us what a great and wonderful thing we're doing. Then WHAM! We come face-to-face overseas with all our inadequacies and weaknesses. We realize how much we're actually going to have to depend on God to see something accomplished. Many missionaries, when confronted with the reality of living in a foreign culture and the time needed to influence people, simply become discouraged, turn around, and come home. Only when we realize our total dependence on God, wait on him, and work with him do we finally see some beautiful fruit.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Great illustration

Shortly after coming to Christ, Sadhu Sundar, a Hindu convert to Christ, felt called to become a missionary to India. Late one afternoon Sadhu was traveling on foot through the Himalayas with a Buddhist monk. It was bitterly cold and the wind felt like sharp blades slicing into Sadhu's skin. Night was approaching fast when the monk warned Sadhu that they were in danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before darkness fell.

Just as they were traversing a narrow path above a steep cliff, they heard a cry for help. Down the cliff lay a man, fallen and badly hurt. The monk looked at Sadhu and said, "Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out for himself." The he quickly added while walking on, "Let us hurry on before we , too, perish."
But Sadhu replied, "God has sent me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him."

The monk continued trudging off through the whirling snow, while the missionary clambered down the steep embankment. The man's leg was broken and he could not walk. So Sadhu took his blanket and made a sling of it and tied the man on his back. Then, bending under his burden, he began a body-torturing climb. By the time he reached the narrow path again, he was drenched in perspiration. 

Doggedly, he made his way through the deepening snow and darkness. It was all he could do to follow the path. But he persevered, though faint with fatigue and overheated from exertion. Finally he saw ahead the lights of the monastery.
Then, for the first time, Sadhu stumbled and nearly fell. But not from weakness. He had stumbled over an object lying in the snow-covered road. Slowly he bent down on one knee and brushed the snow off the object. It was the body of the monk, frozen to death.

Years later a disciple of Sadhu's asked him, "What is life's most difficult task?"

Without hesitation Sadhu replied: "To have no burden to carry."

(From a sermon by Horace Wimpey, God's Guidelines For Thanksgiving, 11/17/2011)

Friday, June 7, 2013

Quote

It’s not how much you go through the Bible, It’s how much the Bible goes through you.

 

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Fascinating article

Come and Reason Ministries

I’ve been fascinated by this new website, thought I’d include two articles:

This first one is on Having a Healthy Brain http://www.comeandreason.com/index.php/media-center/blog-menu/386-10-simple-steps-to-a-healthy-brain

1. Regular Sleep

Approximately one in three Americans is chronically sleep deprived, sleeping less than seven hours per night. Sleep is one of four physical requirements for life, along with air, water, and food. Yet far too many people fail to provide their brain and body with adequate sleep.

Chronic sleep deprivation is devastating to brain health. Without regular adequate sleep brain function is impaired, particularly the part of the brain in which we attend, focus, organize, plan, self-restrain, calm self and modulate mood.

Chronic sleep deprivation results in higher activation of the brain stress circuits, with subsequent increase in inflammation and oxidative stress – cellular damage to body and brain. This increases the risk for illness of brain and body such as, diabetes, obesity, depression and dementia. 

A healthy brain requires regular sleep.

 

2. Regular Exercise (Both Physical & Mental)

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of US adults (35.7%) are obese.

Obesity is a high inflammatory state that reduces quality and length of life and results in accelerated aging and loss of brain tissue. A combination of a high sugar, high saturated fat diet and lack of regular exercise are primary contributing factors to obesity.

Regular exercise not only results in better physical health, and generally better weight profile, but also causes a cascade of beneficial events for the brain. Regular exercise causes the muscles to produce powerful anti-inflammatory cytokines that reduce inflammation. Exercise increases blood vessel growth in the brain improving oxygenation. Additionally, regular exercise causes the brain to produce proteins that stimulate the brain to make new neurons and increase the growth neuron-to-neuron connections. People who exercise regularly are at lower risk for dementia. Finally, exercising the brain itself by engaging in mentally stimulating activities, puzzles, Bible study, learning a new language etc. activates growth factors that promote brain health. If you don’t use it, you will lose it – so exercise regularly!

 

3. Hydration

Water is the single largest component of your body comprising well more than half of your body weight. Every cell of the body requires water. Water is essential for the functioning of our cells and the removal of waste products of metabolism.

Dehydration shrinks the cells of the body and their function becomes impaired. This results in increased oxidative stress and inability to clear toxins, which results in greater damage to our cells, including our brain. Concentration, memory and general alertness can be negatively affected by dehydration.

An average adult should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, and more if exercising vigorously, or working in hot humid environments in which sweating profusely.

 

4. Healthy Diet

You have probably heard the old adage we are what we eat. Well there is much truth in this saying. What we eat provides the nutrients and building blocks from which the tissues of our bodies are made.

Diets high in sugar and saturated fats increase inflammation and oxidative stress accelerating the aging process and decline in brain function. Conversely, diets high in fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables, cold-water fish, olive oil, provide antioxidants, which reduce inflammation and slow the aging process. 

In general, the more highly processed the food the less healthy and more damaging to body and brain. The less processed the food the healthier for body and brain.

 

5. Avoid Toxins

It doesn’t take much brain power to figure out that tobacco, heavy alcohol use, and illegal drugs are damaging to body and brain and accelerate the aging process. But one toxin often missed is high caffeine use. While one or two caffeinated beverages may not confer great risk, higher amounts do increase inflammation, interfere with sleep, reduce blood flow to the brain and increase oxidative stress on the brain.

Other potential toxins, for which we have concern, but not solid evidence, include the myriad of man-made chemicals infused into our society. Read the labels on many household items and you will discover a long list of man-made chemicals, to which we are daily exposed. Only time and research will tell the full impact on physical and mental health these substances are having.

 

6. Forgive

Grudge holding, bitterness, resentment are toxic emotions that activate the brain’s stress pathways causing activation of inflammatory factors. Failure to resolve such feelings results in increased oxidative stress and damage to physical, mental and relational health. Forgiving those who have offended us does not mean what they did was okay, but relieves us of carrying the toxic emotions of anger and resentment everywhere we go and over time ruining our own health.

 

7. Develop Healthy Relationships

Relationship conflict activates the brain’s stress circuits, which turns on the immune system causing increase levels of inflammatory factors. Chronic relationship conflict also interferes with regular sleep. The combined effect of increased inflammation and sleep deprivation accelerate aging and undermine brain health. People with chronic relationship problems have higher rates of mental and physical health problems.

Conversely, healthy relationships are protective and reduce the incidence of both physical and mental health problems. Adolescents who grow up in homes in which they have one adult who is a close confidant perform better in school, get more awards, have less depression and lower rates of drug problems.

 

8. Be a Giver

Multiple studies have demonstrated that persons who are involved in any form of regular volunteerism have better physical health, lower blood pressure, are on less medicines, maintain independence longer in life and have lower rates of dementia.

Loving other people is healthy for the brain.

 

9. Minimize Theatrical Entertainment

Brain research has demonstrated that theatrical entertainment (but not education programming) alters the brain structure, resulting in decreased development of the prefrontal cortex (higher brain where we plan, organize, self-restrain, attend, have good judgment), and over development of the limbic system (lower brain where we experience fear and irritability). This occurs in a dose dependent fashion, meaning the more TV watched the more damaged done. This imbalance increases the risk for attention problems as well as anxiety and mood problems.  

Minimizing theatrical entertainment is protective for the brain.

 

10. Build relationship with God of Love

Individuals with a healthy spirituality, focusing on a God of love, have reduced anxiety, stress and overall more meaningful and satisfied life. Research shows healthy spirituality reduces rates of suicide, increases life satisfaction scores, and general results in healthier relationships and lifestyle.

Conversely, God constructs that incite fear are associated with increased anxiety, dread, worry, relationship conflict and a general sense of life dissatisfaction, all of which increase inflammation and are unhealthy for the brain.

 

Monday, April 22, 2013

Daniel Henderson's lastest devotion on prayer

"Stop Praying 'In Jesus' Name, Amen'?"

 

Have you ever been in a gathering of Christians when someone offered a heartfelt prayer but concluded by simply saying, “Amen”? I have.  Sometimes, there’s been a noticeable gasp of astonishment because this apparently sincere, but possibly misguided, believer did not conclude with the standard three-word phrase, “In Jesus' name.”

 

Another Look at Jesus’ Ideas

 

Consider with me two interesting questions:

1.    Is this three-word traditional prayer conclusion really what our Lord had in mind when He told His disciples to ask and pray “in My name”?

2.    If this was not His intention, what do we need to understand and practice in order to comply with this important aspect of prayer?

First, let’s look at the passages in view:

  • John 14:13-14 – "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
  • John 15:16 – "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."
  • John 16:23-24 – "And in that day you will ask Me nothing.  Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.  Until now you have asked nothing in My name.  Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

What do we learn about this idea of praying “in His name”?

1.    He promised to answer and do the things we petition in this way.

2.    The purpose of praying this way is the glory of the Father.

3.    He chose us so that we would be fruitful as we also pray this way.

4.    We experience full joy when we pray in His name.

Clearly, the promises here are pretty profound, some might say “carte blanche.”  Was Jesus saying, pray anything you want – just put these three words at the end and “presto,” you’ll have it? No questions asked? And, is it true that speaking these three words represents the spiritual fruit of being chosen by Him? Oh, and will tacking these three words onto the end of our prayer guarantee joy? Then there’s this catch...it always has to glorify the Father.  This gets pretty confusing, maybe even restrictive. 

 

Clearly, this essential element in prayer is not about the three words of conclusion that we so often add without even thinking of their meaning.

 

So What Now?

 

To understand His intention, it is helpful to discover that the New Testament speaks of doing other things in His name.  For instance:

  • In Matthew 18:2 Jesus speaks of being gathered “in My name”.
  • In Mark 9:37 He said to receive a child “in My name”.
  • In Mark 9:41 He speaks of giving a cup of cold water “in My name”.
  • John 1:12 says that we become children of God when we believe “in His name”.
  • John 20:31 says that by believing we “have life in His name”.

So, with ramifications far beyond our three-word benediction, consider this:

 

In both the Old and New Testaments, to do something in the “name” of God, or another person, was to do it in compliance with that person’s character.  It meant to do something just as that person would do it, and in a way that honors the reputation of that person.

 

So, we are to gather in a way that honors Christ.  We are to receive children and give a cup of cold water in the very spirit and heart that He would.  To become a child of God, by believing in His name, is accomplished by complete faith in His character, His work, and His words. 

 

What About Prayer?

 

So, what do you suppose Jesus had in mind when He told us to pray “in His name”? He really meant that we should pray in compliance with His character, praying just as He would pray, and in order to honor His reputation and purposes in this world.  So how can we do that more effectively?

 

One clear pathway to understanding this is to study the prayers of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament.  In my book Transforming Prayer, I presented a thorough examination of His prayers, the most notable of which is found in John 17.  Even a cursory evaluation will tell you that most of the things we pray, using our three-word  conclusion, are not even remotely close to the concerns and purposes Jesus prayed about.  Houston – we have a problem.

 

A Very Clear Pattern

 

You will remember that the disciples specifically asked Jesus to teach them to pray.  He told them how to pray using the same pattern He also gave in the famous Sermon on the Mount (Luke 11:1-4, Matthew 6:9-13).  He said emphatically, “Pray this way.”  This was not a suggestion or an option among other prayer ideas we may want to concoct.  This was His clear teaching about how we practically and truly pray “in His name.”

 

This is why I am absolutely passionate that churches learn to pray using the pattern Jesus insisted on.  I would be so bold to say that if we do not follow these principles, we can add anything we want at the end of our flowery prayer, but we are not praying “in Jesus’ name.”

 

This is why I have written in most of my books about the four movements of REVERENCE, RESPONSE, REQESTS, and READINESS in keeping the major focal points of Jesus' model prayer.  This is why I am insistent about worship-based prayer, not a grocery list approach of just telling Jesus what we think He needs to do to arrange the universe in compliance with our desires for a happy and problem-free life. 

 

When we truly pray “in Jesus' name” as He instructed, we learn a balanced, biblical way of praying that fulfills the promises He made about our proper approach to prayer.  And, it transforms us into His image.

 

In Conclusion

 

The next time you pray, think about His idea of praying in His name.  Just for fun, don’t use those three words before the “Amen.”  Instead, try something like this: “For Your glory, in honor of Your purposes, and according to Your will I pray...Amen.”  Let me know how people respond. 

 

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Epoch Awards- Nominate a Missionary!

Unsung heroes fly beneath the radar; they aren't celebrities. But we believe everybody knows one.
A total of $50,000 will go to missions innovators tackling the issues of poverty, sex trafficking, HIV/AIDS, the need for clean water, homelessness and discipleship among others. Nominations close MAY 30 — which is why we not only need your voice, but we think these are the stories that people need to hear! http://epochawards.com/nominations/nominate/

Epoch Awards is also not your ordinary missions gala. It's the Grammys, the Oscars, the pinnacle awards event that honors…you guessed it, missions innovators. But, not those we all already know. The ones that nobody knows. 

Epoch Awards will be hosted at Atlanta's historic Fox Theater on Oct. 28, 2013. Tickets can be purchased here:http://epochawards.com/tickets/. You can also view a video from the 2011 inaugural event here:http://vimeo.com/31792801


 

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Future of our country. From a porter Stansbury article http://pro.stansberryresearch.com/1303EOASALYN/PPSIP3DA/

You may not think things are THAT BAD in the U.S. economy, but consider this simple fact from the National Inflation Association...

Even if all U.S. citizens were taxed 100% of their income... it would still not be enough to balance the federal budget! We'd still have to borrow money, just to maintain the status quo.

That's absolutely incredible, isn't it?
 And right now, today, the federal government has to borrow 46 cents of every dollar they spend...spending that stands at a staggering average of $435.8 million per hour. How is that possibly sustainable?

Today, we have more government debt than any country in the history of the world. We have more debt than every country in the European Union... combined.

With each additional commitment we sink further and further into debt... closing in upon the moment that we can simply no longer afford even the interest payments on our obligations.

And here is the part that really matters... the costs of maintaining our debts are about to skyrocket.

Right now the Federal Reserve is manipulating interest rates down to almost zero. As a result, the interest rate at which our government can borrow money is at a record low level. In fact, the Federal Reserve has lowered its benchmark interest rate ten times since August 2007, from 5.25% to a zone between zero and 0.25%. Obviously, the current rate won't last forever.

But what will happen if the average real interest rate ends up being just 4% annually, and we pay it off over 30 years like a mortgage?

Incredibly, we'll spend $34.3 trillion to simply repay what we owe right now. If the rate ends up being 6%, we'll spend $43.1 trillion.

Even as late as the 1970s, America was the world's largest creditor. But by the mid-1980s we'd become a debtor to the world. And since the late 1990s we've been the world's LARGEST debtor.

Today, our government owes more money to more people than anyone else in the world.

With all of these bad debts piling up, we've had to begin repaying our debts by printing trillions of new dollars.

With QE3, the latest round of "quantitative easing," the Fed is now promising to print $85 billion a month. That's over a trillion dollars a year.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Great spot for morning devo's at the new Bible institute in Guate. Great view!




This email response may be short because it is sent from my phone and my finger is stubby and slow and I may spel things rong.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Fwd: Barabbas



I just watched a really great mini series on the supposed life of Barabas. The criminal who was set free at Passover instead of Jesus.  What an amazing picture! We were criminals and God took our place. Highly recommend!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Judah BenHur the Musical

Come check out the EPIC  musical for one night only at CCSP @ 6pm.  Don’t even think about sitting around at home Sunday night!  Come!  Free, love offering given after.  http://www.judahbenhur.com/

Thursday, February 7, 2013

GO Magazine

Here is our latest Go magazine with the update on Guatemala

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Los abuelitos

This is an 83 year old couple that we were able to minister to at our last Santa Lucia medical outreach. They came malnourished and without family and we were able to help them in Jesus name! Pray for Jacintha and her husband.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Saturday, January 19, 2013