Derek Redmond of Great Britain had trained for the Olympic 400-meter run for years. After the Seoul Olympics, he had five operations on both Achilles' tendons, but he bounced back. Now he was running well, and competing in the Olympic semifinals.
Halfway around the track, however, Derek's right hamstring gave way. He fell to the track, sprawled across the fifth lane. The television cameras focused on defending Olympic champion Steve Lewis as he won the race and headed toward the tunnel.
Then, suddenly, Derek got to his feet and began hobbling around the track. He was determined to finish the race.
Derek's dad, Jim Redmond, sitting high in the stands at Olympic Stadium, saw his son collapse. The 49-year-old machine shop owner from Northampton, England, ran down the steps and onto the track. All he knew was his son needed help.
The crowd realized that Derek Redmond was running the race of his life. Around the stands, and around the world, fans stood and honored him with cheers. At the final turn, Jim Redmond caught up to his son and put his arm around him. When Derek saw who it was, he leaned on his dad's right shoulder and sobbed. An usher attempted to intercede and escort Jim Redmond off the track, but his efforts were futile.
They crossed the finish line, father and son, arm in arm.
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.1 Corinthians 16:13
March 25, 2008
March 17, 2008
When Jesus Was Born
(Matthew 2:1-4)
"The real cause for Joy." We sowed sin and death in our lives but God so loved us that He gave us His Son's life for our sins. It is truly a blessing to reap something that we did not sow! Salvation had come to all who would come to this joyous reconciliation and it all started "When Jesus Was Born."
When Jesus was born, a stir begins as soon as Christ is born. He has not spoken a word; he has not done one miracle; he has not proclaimed a single doctrine; but when Jesus was born things started stirring! Things stirred in heaven. The angel of the Lord came upon the shepherds and proclaimed, "Behold I bring you good news of great joy; which shall be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the LORD. And suddenly there was with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. Things started stirring in heaven when Jesus was born (Luke 2:8-14)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with the Shepherds. It came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, lets us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this things which is come to pass which the Lord hath made known to us. And they came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it they made know abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them when Jesus was born (2:15-20)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with the Wise Men. There came wise men from the East to Jerusalem. Saying where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have see his star in the East and we have come to worship him. When they had heard the king (Herod) they departed and the star which they saw in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. And when they were come into the house, they say the young child with Mary his mother and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way, when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:1-12)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with Joseph. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:13-14)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with King Herod. When Herod the King had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priest and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet. The Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. Then when Herod saw that he was mocked of the wise men, he was exceeding angry and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men, when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:3-16)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with faith, hope, love, joy, and peace. Things would never be as they were before. The King of kings had been born for war! Time became pregnant with his approach and as God delivered him on the scene, he would be God and man's go between. Hell was stirred and shaken with fear to hold tight to it's keys. The devil trembled out of fear of being brought to his knees, evil increased to unlimited degrees, no longer would death be able to taunt and tease, those who were lost could finally stand at ease, because almighty God had heard our frantic pleas, when Jesus was born!
Live In Christ
"The real cause for Joy." We sowed sin and death in our lives but God so loved us that He gave us His Son's life for our sins. It is truly a blessing to reap something that we did not sow! Salvation had come to all who would come to this joyous reconciliation and it all started "When Jesus Was Born."
When Jesus was born, a stir begins as soon as Christ is born. He has not spoken a word; he has not done one miracle; he has not proclaimed a single doctrine; but when Jesus was born things started stirring! Things stirred in heaven. The angel of the Lord came upon the shepherds and proclaimed, "Behold I bring you good news of great joy; which shall be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the LORD. And suddenly there was with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. Things started stirring in heaven when Jesus was born (Luke 2:8-14)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with the Shepherds. It came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, lets us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this things which is come to pass which the Lord hath made known to us. And they came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it they made know abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them when Jesus was born (2:15-20)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with the Wise Men. There came wise men from the East to Jerusalem. Saying where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have see his star in the East and we have come to worship him. When they had heard the king (Herod) they departed and the star which they saw in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. And when they were come into the house, they say the young child with Mary his mother and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way, when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:1-12)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with Joseph. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:13-14)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with King Herod. When Herod the King had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priest and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet. The Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. Then when Herod saw that he was mocked of the wise men, he was exceeding angry and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men, when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:3-16)!
When Jesus was born, things started stirring with faith, hope, love, joy, and peace. Things would never be as they were before. The King of kings had been born for war! Time became pregnant with his approach and as God delivered him on the scene, he would be God and man's go between. Hell was stirred and shaken with fear to hold tight to it's keys. The devil trembled out of fear of being brought to his knees, evil increased to unlimited degrees, no longer would death be able to taunt and tease, those who were lost could finally stand at ease, because almighty God had heard our frantic pleas, when Jesus was born!
Live In Christ
March 15, 2008
The Atheist And The Bear
An atheist was walking through the woods.
'What majestic trees'! 'What powerful rivers'!'What beautiful animals'!He said to himself.
'What majestic trees'! 'What powerful rivers'!'What beautiful animals'!He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path.
He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him.
He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the Atheist cried out, 'Oh my God!'Time Stopped.The bear froze.The forest was silent.As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident.' 'Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer'?
The atheist looked directly into the light, 'It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian'?'Very Well,' said the voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:
'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.'
March 12, 2008
How Does Your Garden Grow?
"Behold, the sower went out to sow...And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop."Mark 4:3,7
Maybe you've experienced the hope of planting a new garden or lawn. You had a snapshot in your mind of what it would look like-high expectations of vegetable-laden plants or of your neighbor looking enviously at your lush, green lawn. But you discovered that good gardens and thick, carpet-like lawns don't grow naturally. Weeds do.
Pulling weeds and planting seeds. It's the story of life. We are individual lots on which either weeds of selfishness or the fruit of the Holy Spirit grow and flourish. Jesus warned that the soil of our hearts is the most valuable acreage on planet earth.
In Mark 4, Jesus taught the parable of the soils to His disciples. Christ said that spiritual fruitfulness or barrenness depends upon the type of soil that receives the seed of God's Word.
Jesus warned of the choking influence of thorns-three kinds of pesky, prickly weeds that squeeze the life out of fruit-producing seedlings.
The worries of the world, the anxieties of this age, are the first weeds of which Jesus warned. Worry or anxiety means "to be drawn in different directions" or "to be distracted.
"What distracts you? What pulls you in a direction you know is unfruitful? For me it can be busyness. A full schedule of good things that crowds out the best-like time in the morning spent in prayer and the Scripture. I can be distracted by urgent things which could be put off for just a few minutes.
Some people are distracted and worried about what others think about them, preoccupied with pleasing men and gaining their approval. Still others are pulled by their insecurities, trying to find significance in achieving and performing.
Good marriages and families don't grow naturally-weeds do. That's why it's so important that we listen to the words of the Master Gardener, Jesus Christ.
Maybe you've experienced the hope of planting a new garden or lawn. You had a snapshot in your mind of what it would look like-high expectations of vegetable-laden plants or of your neighbor looking enviously at your lush, green lawn. But you discovered that good gardens and thick, carpet-like lawns don't grow naturally. Weeds do.
Pulling weeds and planting seeds. It's the story of life. We are individual lots on which either weeds of selfishness or the fruit of the Holy Spirit grow and flourish. Jesus warned that the soil of our hearts is the most valuable acreage on planet earth.
In Mark 4, Jesus taught the parable of the soils to His disciples. Christ said that spiritual fruitfulness or barrenness depends upon the type of soil that receives the seed of God's Word.
Jesus warned of the choking influence of thorns-three kinds of pesky, prickly weeds that squeeze the life out of fruit-producing seedlings.
The worries of the world, the anxieties of this age, are the first weeds of which Jesus warned. Worry or anxiety means "to be drawn in different directions" or "to be distracted.
"What distracts you? What pulls you in a direction you know is unfruitful? For me it can be busyness. A full schedule of good things that crowds out the best-like time in the morning spent in prayer and the Scripture. I can be distracted by urgent things which could be put off for just a few minutes.
Some people are distracted and worried about what others think about them, preoccupied with pleasing men and gaining their approval. Still others are pulled by their insecurities, trying to find significance in achieving and performing.
Good marriages and families don't grow naturally-weeds do. That's why it's so important that we listen to the words of the Master Gardener, Jesus Christ.
March 3, 2008
God Calls Us 2 B Humble
God tells us in the Bible to not think too highly of ourselves. This of course doesn’t mean to not feel good about ourselves. It means to not forget who created us. We shouldn’t think we are above our Lord. We need to find our identity in our Savior. God calls us to be humble. I looked up humble in the dictionary, and came up with this : not proud or arrogant, to lower one’s self in importance. No matter how popular or shall we say "cool" we are, we need to place our full selves in the Lord. Our focus should not be trying to fit in with the people around us. Our number one focus should constantly be letting the light of Jesus shine through us. We all want to feel accepted in this world. Always looking for someone to notice us, to pat us on the back, but we will never find true acceptance if we don’t’ look for it in God. So just remember when you find yourself trying to please other people, remember my story. Instead of looking to the group look for favor in the eyes of the Lord, only then will you be truly "cool".
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