Sunday, October 29, 2006
How to Face a Hungry Lion
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith...."
I Peter 5:8-9, NIV
A missionary who ministers in Africa shared in a children's sermon in an American church. He told the children what to do in case they ever met a hungry lion. The first thing to remember is that you should never try to flee. That would mean certain death. The lion can run much faster than you can. Next, you should try to look very brave and stare right into the lion's eyes. If you are successful, he will back down and run away. However, if that does not work, you should be prepared for the lion to attack you. Have your spear ready so that when he leaps upon you, he will land on the spear and be killed!
-- copied from The Communicators Commentary, First Peter, by Paul Cedar, page 198.
And James says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 NIV
So when the lion comes, hold up your spear and be prepared for God to defend you.
I Peter 5:8-9, NIV
A missionary who ministers in Africa shared in a children's sermon in an American church. He told the children what to do in case they ever met a hungry lion. The first thing to remember is that you should never try to flee. That would mean certain death. The lion can run much faster than you can. Next, you should try to look very brave and stare right into the lion's eyes. If you are successful, he will back down and run away. However, if that does not work, you should be prepared for the lion to attack you. Have your spear ready so that when he leaps upon you, he will land on the spear and be killed!
-- copied from The Communicators Commentary, First Peter, by Paul Cedar, page 198.
And James says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 NIV
So when the lion comes, hold up your spear and be prepared for God to defend you.
Monday, October 23, 2006
How Do We Pray?
Our prayers really ought to be prompted out of our deep understanding of what the will of God is. There are a lot of folks who go to prayer, not to ascertain the will of God, but to ask Him to do what they want. Prayer is not getting God to adjust His program to what we want, it is adjusting our lives to the revealed will of God. When we pray, it isn't God who changes, it's us. Maybe we've been looking for change at the wrong end of the cycle.
David Jeremiah in "The Handwriting on the Wall"
Friday, October 20, 2006
The Renewing Presence
Feeling Abandoned?
Do you ever feel faint or think that noone cares?
Do you ever think that things are not working out fairly?
Then think on these verses:
***********
Jacob, why do you say,
and Israel, why do you assert:
"My way is hidden fom he LORD,
and my claim is ignored by my God"?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Yahweh is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never grows faint or weary;
there is no limit to His understanding.
He gives strength to the weary
and strengthens the powerless.
Youths may faint and grow weary,
and young men stumble and fall,
but those who trust in the LORD
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:27-31
Holman Christian Standard Bible
c- Holman Bible Publishers
