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Showing posts from February, 2007

Money Matters

Someone wrote, “Your use of money shows what you think of God.” How we earn and use our money reveals a lot about our faith. It’s a case of putting your money where your mouth is. Or, to be Biblical, putting your money where your heart is. The Lord Himself said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21, NIV) Thus, this coming March, all Sundays we will talk about... [Drum roll, please] money! On March 5 and 11, I will speak on giving while on March 18 and 25 our very own Dr. Andrew Liuson will speak on the Debt-free Lifestyle. Here in our church, we are not ashamed of talking about what the Bible say about our finances. I specifically encourage you to invite friends, co-workers, employees, employers and relatives during the Sundays that Dr. Liuson would speak. I believe his talks on how to get out of debt and keep our lives debt-free will bless them so much. Next Sunday, we will make invitation cards available for you to give your invited guests. J

Saints in circulation

Once there was a currency shortage in the British Empire. Oliver Cromwell (who led the Commonwealth of England) ordered a thorough search for silver to deal with the emergency. A month later, he received a report: “We searched everywhere in vain. We found none anywhere except in the cathedrals. The statues of saints there are made of choice silver.” Cromwell declared, “Let’s melt down the saints and put them in circulation.” Aren’t we guilty of being “silver saints” ? There is a shortage of believers reaching out for seekers. Yet, we remain in our “pedestals” or comfort zones and we rarely if ever circulate. For almost two months now, we went through a series on our mission statement, that is, “ Glorify God by Multiplying Biblical, Committed and Loving Followers of Jesus Christ.” Would you answer God’s call to be a multiplier of His followers? Don’t wait for a meltdown before you would circulate. The Lord Jesus mandated to be His witnesses not only “in Jerusalem [but also] in all J

Mimicking Christ

Calvin Coolidge (the 30th president of the USA) invited some friends to dine with him at the White House. But they did not know the protocol or how to conduct themselves at such an occasion. So they thought the best way would be to copy what he would do. Coolidge poured his coffee into a saucer. When they saw it, they mimicked him. Then he poured some milk and added sugar to the coffee in the saucer. So, they did the same also. They assumed that he would drink the coffee from the saucer. To their surprise, he did not do so. He leaned over to place the saucer on the floor for his cat. (From the illustration database of the Biblical Studies Foundation) Coolidge’s guests need not mimic him. But, on the other hand, we are to do just that. After washing the feet of the disciples, the Lord Jesus told His disciples: “I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do.” (John 13:15, The Message) The Apostle Paul gave this command also to the believers, “Be imitators of me, just as I als

A Servant’s Heart

During the 1800’s a large group of European pastors attended an international conference in a Bible school in the US of A. As per European custom, each one put his shoes outside his room. They thought hall servants of the dormitory would clean the shoes during the night. But there were no hall servants for they were in America. The main speaker of the conference, who was walking at the dormitory halls that night, saw the shoes. Before the event, he already talked to some students who were there in the Bible College. But all he got were silence or pious excuses. So, he gathered up all the shoes. Alone in his room, he cleaned and polished the shoes. It was supposed to be a secret. But his friend unexpectedly visited him in the room and discovered what he was doing. The European delegates never knew who shined their shoes. The main speaker told no one. But word got around among the American delegates. And during the conference, men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret. (From the illus