A Traveler’s Guide to Heaven
By wsbt | March 3, 2010
Accommodations:
Arrangements for accommodations must be made in advance.
( But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Matthew 24:36)Passports:
Persons seeking entry will not be permitted past the gates without having proper credentials and having their names already registered with the ruling authority.
( And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatseover worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:27)Tickets:
Your ticket is written pledge that guarantees your journey. It should be claimed and its promises kept firmly in hand.
(Verily, Verily I say unto you, He that heareth my work, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. John 5:24)Departure Time:
The exact time of departure has not been announced. Travelers are advised to be prepared to leave on short notice.
( Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 51 & 52) Read the rest of this entry »Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Missions
By wsbt | February 24, 2010
The Generous Macedonians
Someone has rightfully said, “There are three kinds of givers-the flint, the sponge and the honeycomb. To get anything out of a flint, you must hammer it, and then you get only sparks and chips. To get anything out of a sponge, you must squeeze it, and the more you squeeze it, the more you will get. But the honeycomb just overflows with its own sweetness.” Some people are difficult and stingy, like the flint, they give nothing away. Others are good-natured, like the sponge, they yield to pressure. A few people are like the honeycomb, they delight in giving without being asked at all.
The people of Macedonia (Greece today) were liberal and generous in giving to the needs of the apostle Paul as he continued in his second missionary journey. (See Acts 15:36-18:11) In all of Paul’s endeavors upon leaving Macedonia, the Philippians sent financial support to him time and time again.
In our day, people who do work as Paul did are called missionaries. Countless numbers of men, women and children travel from the United States to foreign countries that are open to preaching of the gospel. They go there to take Christ to the unsaved and establish churches when new converts are made.
Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” Mark 16:15Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Missions Month
By wsbt | February 18, 2010
Helping the Hands That Help Your Missionaries
When William Carey left for India in the spring of 1793, he was not alone. Twelve pastors in England had banded together and formed the first Baptist mission board in order to send him forth. During the commissioning service, Andrew Fuller, pastor of the Baptist Church in Dettering, England, challenged Mr. Carey and others present: “There is a gold mine in India, but it seems as deep as the center of the earth.” William Carey replied: “I will go down in that mine to dig, but remember….YOU MUST HOLD THE ROPES.”
What emerged on that momentous occasion was a consensus that the home team of pastors and the mission board would STAND BY THEIR MISSIONARY UNTIL DEATH.
They did! William Carey labored for 40 years in India without coming home for a furlough. That board made up of local pastors stood by him as they had promised. When Carey lay down on his death bed to die in India, he had translated the Bible and portions of the Bible into almost 40 different languages.
Because the board that brought together those pastors helped him, almost 90% of India had at least some of the Word of God in their own language.
Topics: missions | No Comments »
Missions Month
By wsbt | February 17, 2010
Sacrifice?
Two well-to-do Christians, a lawyer and a merchant, joined a party that was going around the world. In Korea one day they saw a field by the side of the road, and in the field a boy pulled a crude plow while an old man held the plow handles and directed it through the rice paddy. The lawyer was amused and took a snapshot of the scene. “That’s a curious sight,” he said to the missionary who was interpreter and guide.
“Yes’, was the reply. “That is the family of Chi Noui. When the church building was built they were eager to give something, but they had no money; so they sold the only ox they had and gave the money to the church. This spring they are pulling the plow themselves.”
The lawyer and the businessman were silent for moments. Then the businessman said, “That must have been a real sacrifice!”
“They did not call it that,” said the missionary. “They thought it was fortunate they had an ox to sell.”
The two tourists did not have much to say, but when they reached home the lawyer took the picture to his minister and told him of the incident. “I want to double my pledge to the church,” he said. “And give me some plow work to do. I have never known what sacrifice for the Lord really means. I am ashamed to say that I have never given anything to Him that really cost me something.”
This was a true story and the author prays it will be repeated many times in the coming years.
Richard Rogers Sunset School of Preaching Lubbock, TXTopics: Uncategorized, missions | No Comments »
In Honor of President Lincoln’s Birthday & Presidents’ Day
By wsbt | February 12, 2010
Words of Wisdom from Abraham Lincoln
“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us”
(Proclamation of a day of National Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer, 1863)Topics: Abraham Lincoln | No Comments »
Missions Month
By wsbt | February 10, 2010
It Depends on Whose Hands it’s in
A basketball in my hands is worth about $19;
A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands is worth about $33 million.
A baseball in my hands is worth about $6;
A baseball in Alex Rodriguez’s hands is worth about $19 million.
A tennis racket in my hands is useless;
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras’ hands is a Wimbledon championship.
A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal;
A rod in Moses’ hands will part the sea.
A sling shot in my hands is a kid’s toy;
A sling shot in David’s hands is a mighty weapon.
Two fish and five loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches;
Two fish and five loaves of bread in God’s hands will feed thousands.
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse;
Nails in Christ’s hands made salvation available for the entire world.
Ten dollar$ in my hands will buy me lunch;
Ten dollar$ in a missionary’s hands will help feed a lost person’s soul.
As you see, it depends whose hands things are in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God’s hands.
Topics: missions | No Comments »
Missions Month
By wsbt | February 5, 2010
How is Your Vision?
L
IF
TUPY
OUREYE
SANDLOOKO
NTHEFIELDSF
ORTHEYAREWHIT
EALREADYTOHARVEST
Are You?
NEAR SIGHTED-Only see the need of home missions
FAR SIGHTED-Only see the need of foreign missions
SIGHTLESS-See no need of missions
PERFECT SIGHT-See the need of world missions
Topics: missions | No Comments »
Missions Month
By wsbt | February 4, 2010
Our Missions Conference this month teaches us the importance of prayer. Here is a true story about the importance AND the power of prayer.
During the war, an English farmer sent a contribution to a mission group making apology for the smallness of the gift “due to dry weather and the lack of water on his farm.” He added a request that the staff pray that no German bombs would fall on his property.
The leader of the mission answered thanking him for the gift but saying that they were only praying “the Lord’s will be done” as far as the bombs were concerned.” The answer was somewhat of a puzzle to the farmer who had so earnestly requested prayer for God’s protection.
The farmer’s faith was severely shaken when, not too long after, a huge bomb shook the earth with a deafening roar breaking windows and tearing things up in general. “Is this the Lord’s will?” questioned the man. “Should this happen to me?” But investigation showed no damage to any livestock or to his family. And what should rise from the bottom of the still-smoking crater, but a gushing spring of crystal-clear water!
The next harvest a much-enlarged check arrived at the mission as the man wrote of the blessing that the bomb had been to him and his water-needy neighbors! This was better than having no bomb fall!
When we have prayed, and what we have feared comes, look for the gushing springs of God’s blessings!
-J.W. Mellick
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February is our Missions Month!
By wsbt | February 2, 2010
A Christian must always be ready for service when the Lord calls him. Some believers once felt definitely led to do missionary work, but did not follow through.
Ten future missionaries heard God’s call divine;
One married wrongly, that left only nine.
Nine future missionaries-they could hardly wait;
Mother needed one thought, that left only eight.
Eight future missionaries bound for God and Heaven;
One got to making money, that left only seven.
Seven future missionaries-if only each one sticks;
One lost out completely, that left only six.
Six future missionaries for the Lord alive.
One preferred the homeland, that left only five. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Family Month
By wsbt | January 29, 2010
If Jesus Came To Your House
If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two…
If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do.
Oh, I know you’d give your nicest
room to such an honored guest
And all the food you’d serve to Him
would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring Him
you’re glad to have Him there…
But…. when you saw Him coming,
would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome to
our heav’nly visitor? Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
