Christians

Christians

What Kind Are You?
Some Christians are like wheelbarrows, not good unless pushed.
Some are like canoes, they have to be paddled.
Some are like kites, if you don't keep a string on them, they fly away.
Some are like kittens, they are more contented when petted.
Some are like balloons, full of wind and likely to blow up unless handled carefully.
Some are like trailers, no good unless pulled.
Some are like buzzards, they "get wind" of a foul smell and come quickly.
Some are filled with the Holy Spirit, and thank God for these! A Nobleman's Legacy
In a certain mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, a nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. Finally, he decided to build a church for a legacy.
The complete plans for the church were kept secret until its completion. When the people gathered, they marveled at the church's beauty and its completeness. Following many comments of praise, an astute observer inquired, "But where are the lamps? How will the church be lighted?"
Without answer, the nobleman pointed to some brackets in the wall; he then gave to each family a lamp to be carried to the worship service and hung on the wall. "Each time you are here, the area where you are seated will be lighted," the nobleman explained. "Each time you are not here, that area will be dark. Whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God's house will be dark."

Value by Association
An American tourist in Paris who purchased an inexpensive amber necklace in a trinket shop was shocked when he had to pay quite a high duty on it to clear customs in New York. This aroused his curiosity, so he had it appraised. After looking at the object under a powerful magnifying glass, the jeweler said, "I'll give you $25,000 for it." Greatly surprised, the man decided to have another expert examine it. When he did, he was offered $10,000 more!
"What do you see that's so valuable about this old necklace," asked the astonished man.
"Look through this glass," replied the jeweler. There before his eyes was an inscription: "From Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine." The value of the necklace came from its identification with a famous person.
As Christians, we are in union with one who is far more important than any human being. It is from this union that the Christian finds his true identity and worth.
So in an age when man is searching for his past and discovering his potentials, the Christian can rejoice that his true worth comes from God and his identity is found in Jesus Christ.

It Is Better to Be Late Than Pass by One Who Needs You
Charles Harvey, Good Samaritan of Grand Prairie, Texas, felt a bit nervous as he was driving to an important job interview. He was fifteen minutes late and in a hurry when he passed a middle aged woman stranded with a flat tire. "My conscience made me stop," he said. "I changed her tire and headed to the interview, thinking I could just forget about getting the job now."
But he filled out the job application anyway, and went to the Personnel Director's office. Did he get the job? He sure did. The Personnel Director hired him on the spot. She was the woman whose tire he had just changed.

How Permanent Is What You Build
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock" (Matthew 7:25).
The permanence of any building depends upon three things: the materials used, wisdom exercised in its construction, and its foundation. Inferior materials, though skillfully assembled, cannot stand for long against the elements of nature. Nor will superior materials, if carelessly put together, be able to stand. A combination of sound materials and wise direction in assembling is necessary if the building is to endure, also it is very important that it be built upon a solid foundation. The same truths apply to the building of a life. One must choose his materials carefully and work them into the structure of his life wisely. He must be positive that it is built on a good foundation. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus challenges each one of us to build for eternity! Jesus urges men to cast aside such material as selfishness, hypocrisy, lust, and hatred. These can only lead to failure and ruin.
Christ prescribes the materials that will stand throughout time and eternity. He stresses humility, meekness, righteousness, mercy, and purity. The quality of this material has been tested and tried through the centuries.
We must heed the instructions of the Master Architect. Build with Christ-Build for eternity! Are You God's Wife?
Sometimes we lead in ways that we don't realize are bringing others closer to God. Recently I read an incident that occurred when a man was working in a shoe store in Nova Scotia. The man said that he noticed a barefoot little boy outside the baker's shop next door to the shoe store. The boy was trying to keep warm by standing on a hot air register outside the bakery. The man watching was uncertain about what to do about the little boy when a middle-aged lady came by. She spoke to the child and then brought him into the shoe store where she purchased shoes and socks for him.
The child asked the lady, "Are you God's wife?"
She replied, "No, son, I'm just one of His children."
"Well, I knew you must be some kin to Him," he remarked as he thanked her and left. That unknown lady was a leader for the cause of Christ, and the little boy and the man watching were able to recognize some Christ-like qualities in her.

Christians Are to Be Different
During World War II a 15-year-old boy managed to enlist in the Navy and eventually joined the crew of a destroyer escort in the North Atlantic. After the ship left port, he gave himself away by being so frightened and homesick.
Even though the safety of the ship was at stake, the youth had to stand his watch. The bo's'n assigned to him the midnight to 4 a.m. watch on the bow. A lanky cowboy from Texas named Cogswell had the preceding duty at the dangerous and important post.
Fearing the worst, the captain stayed on the bridge during the "graveyard watch." About 1 a.m. he looked out through the starlit night to see how the novice sailor was faring. To his amazement, he recognized the tall frame of Cogswell.
The next morning, the skipper asked the bo's'n, "Did you know Cogswell took the kid's place last night and stood eight hours straight duty?"
"Yes sir, I did," he replied. "Well," replied the captain, "what do you think about it?" "Sir, I didn't think anything about it. Didn't you know? Cogswell's a Christian!"

Hammer Christians
What we need are more Christians who quietly but effectively do their jobs like a hammer. A hammer keeps its head; it doesn't fly off the handle; it keeps pounding away; it finds the point quickly and drives it home; and perhaps more important, it is the only knocker in the world that accomplishes anything worthwhile!
Consider the hammer, and follow its example in your daily walk with Christ.

What Do You Offer?
Men today want to know, How much does the job pay? What do you offer?
The story is told that when Garibaldi set out to liberate Italy, he saw some young men standing at a street corner, and he asked them if they would like to enlist in his cause. "What do you offer?" they said.
"Offer?" replied Garibaldi. "I offer you hardship, hunger, rags, thirst, sleepless nights, footsores in long marches, privations innumerable, and finally victory in the noblest cause that ever confronted you." Young Italy did follow him!
Our Lord says, "If any one would come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me" (Mark 8:34).

How Is the Christian Different?
The Christian sees through kinder eyes-like Jesus.
He gives from a bigger heart-like God.
He speaks with a purer tongue-like Christ.
He serves with more willing hands-like Jesus.
He walks with a greater faith-like his Lord.
He loves with agape love-like the Father in heaven.
He thinks with a spiritual mind-like Christ.
He sees the needs of others with a compassionate view-like Jesus.
He heals the wounds of others with love-like the Master.
The Christian is different only when Jesus rules his life.

True Riches
A tax assessor came one day to a poor minister of the gospel to determine the amount of taxes he would have to pay. "What do you possess?" he questioned.
"Oh, I am very wealthy," replied the minister. "List your possessions, please," the assessor instructed.
The man of God replied, "First, I have everlasting life- John 3:16. Second, I have a mansion in Heaven- John 14:2. Thirdly, I have peace that passeth understanding- Philippians 4:7. Fourth, I have joy unspeakable- 1 Peter 1:8. Fifth, I have divine love that never faileth- 1 Corinthians 13:8. Sixth, I have a faithful, pious wife- Proverbs 31:10. Seventh, I have healthy, happy, obedient children- Exodus 20:12. Eighth, I have true, loyal friends- Proverbs 18:24. Ninth, I have songs in the night- Psalms 42:8. Tenth, I have a crown of life awaiting- James 1:12."
The tax collector closed his book and said, "Truly, you are a very rich man, but your property is not subject to taxation."

Christians Are Members of the Body of Christ
A lady accepted Christ as her Savior late in life and found in Him such joy that she could not keep still about it; she was praising God and talking about it all the time. One day a friend said, "You seem pretty confident about this salvation of yours. I would not be too sure if I were you; suppose the Lord should let you slip through His fingers?" "But," said the elderly lady, "I am one of the fingers." A Christian Should Be:
A MIND through which Christ thinks,
A VOICE through which Christ speaks,
A HEART through which Christ loves,
A HAND through which Christ helps.

Abiding in Christ
An English woman illustrated what it means to have Christ between us and danger. She said she was wakened by a very strange noise of pecking. When she went to the window, she saw a butterfly flying inside the window pane in great fright; outside a sparrow was pecking at the pane and trying to reach the butterfly. The butterfly did not see the glass pane and expected every minute to be caught; the sparrow did not see the glass and expected every minute to catch the butterfly. All the while the butterfly was safe because the glass was between it and the sparrow.
So it is with the Christian who is abiding in Christ. God's presence is between His child and every danger.

Parable of the Deadly Wound
Have you heard the story about Satan's attack upon a certain Christian? First, he shot a poisonous dart at his heel, but the Christian was unharmed because he had his feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Satan's next attempt was at his loins, but the Christian repelled this because he had his loins girt about with the truth. Unsuccessfully the devil tried a shot at his breast, the breastplate of righteousness. The Christian knocked away another arrow. But the devil, still not discouraged, slipped around behind the Christian and shot him in the pocketbook, and killed him dead as a hammer.

More Than a Conqueror
Alexander the Great subdued the world about him, but he was conquered by his own lusts; he died in a drunken stupor. The Christian conquers his own lusts in order to subdue the world within him. Through Christ, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).

Defeatism Grieves God
Christian defeatism grieves God. We must refuse to stand as mere spectators while the godless dismantle our nation.
Believers through Christ are to be the overcomers, not the overcome. Have we forgotten how those first century believers, working against even greater odds, "turned the world upside down"? Have we become so mesmerized by the coming "tribulation" that we have forgotten Christ's order to "occupy until I return"?
Once again Christians must become the nation's salt, its preservative, and put the reins into the hands of righteous leaders. No longer can be we mere "hearers" but through God "doers," if the nation is to survive.

How You Can Be a Peacemaker
Carl and Sam were at odds with each other. They could not even remember the initial cause of friction...but their hostility had festered through the years. A deeply concerned deacon prayed that God would use him as a peacemaker.
He called on Carl. "What do you think of Sam?" he asked. "He's the sorriest guy in town!" "But," countered the deacon, "you have to admit that he's a hard-working man." "No one can deny that," said Carl. "I've never known a person who worked harder."
Next the deacon visited Sam. "Do you know what Carl said about you?" "No, but I can imagine his lies," he responded angrily. "This may surprise you," said the deacon, "but he said he's never known a harder worker." "He said that?" Sam was stunned. "What do you think of Carl?" asked the deacon. "It is no secret that I have absolutely no use for him." "But you must admit he's honest in business," said the deacon. "There's no getting around that," said Sam. "In business he's a man you can trust."
Later the deacon met Carl again. "Do you know what Sam said about you? He claims you're absolutely trustworthy in business, that you are scrupulously honest." "Well, how 'bout that," reacted Carl with a smile.
Soon the peacemaking deacon noticed Sam and Carl would cautiously nod in a friendly sort of way. Before long they were shaking hands, talking, even visiting in each other's homes. Today they are best of friends.
Many people, even church folk, seem to delight in promoting a fight by carrying news of ill-will. Rip this page from a deacon's peacemaking notebook. It's a worthy example to follow.

Help Yourself by Helping Others
The story is told of two men riding on a sleigh during a blizzard. Almost frozen and afraid that they would not reach warmth and safety, they came upon another traveler who had fallen in the snow and was near death from the terrific cold. One suggested that they stop and help. The other refused, saying that to stop might keep them from reaching safety. He insisted on going on.
However, the first man decided to stay and help. He set himself to the task of massaging the man's body to restore circulation. After long hard work, the man responded and was saved. The traveler's work in helping another helped keep himself warm and alive. The one who refused to stay and help was found some distance ahead, frozen to death.

Rejoicing Always
A saintly woman who had suffered for weary months from a painful illness said to her pastor, "I have such a lovely robin that sings outside my window. In the early mornings as I lie here, he serenades me."
Then a smile brightened her thin features as she added, "I love him because he sings in the rain."
That is the most beautiful thing about a robin. When a storm has silenced every other songbird, the robin sings on. That is what the Christian who is with Christ may do. Any one can sing in the sunshine. You and I should sing on when the sun has gone down, or when clouds pour out their rain, for Christ is with us. The Need to Remain Useful
The great violinist, Nicolo Paganini, willed his marvelous violin to Genoa-the city of his birth-but only on condition that the instrument never be played. It was an unfortunate condition, for it is a peculiarity of wood that as long as it is used and handled, it shows little wear. As soon as it is discarded, it begins to decay.
The exquisite mellow-toned violin now has become worm-eaten in its beautiful case, valueless except as a relic. The moldering instrument is a reminder that a life withdrawn from service to others loses its meaning.
How well Jesus' strong emphasis upon service is illustrated! In order to retain our value and our worth and not degenerate into a worthless relic, we should serve and remain active.
"But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant" (Matthew 20:26-27). A Precious Stone
In a box in a jewelry store there were precious stones, sapphires, and diamonds; the beryl and the amethyst; and many others. Right in the center, according to the story, was a common looking pebble, and a man said to the clerk, "Why do you have that pebble there? If you saw it on the floor you would pick it up and throw it out the window." The clerk took the stone out of the box and said, "You do not know the beauty of this stone"; he held it and in two or three minutes you could not see the stone, but instead, all the colors of the rainbow, moving in such rapid succession they would almost dazzle you; but when the stone got cold the colors would vanish. You might place that stone on the windowsill on the hottest day and it would have no effect on it, but it would respond to peculiar moisture of the human hand to bring out its beauty.
That is what happens when we lie passively in the hand of God. All the beauty that is in us shows.

How's Your Interior Decorating?
Warren W. Wiersbe relates that one day he was scanning the shelves in a bookstore in Cincinnati, Ohio, when he discovered a volume out of place. It was in the "Religion" section, but the title of the book was The Art of Interior Decorating. He started to remove the book, but then it dawned on him that the volume was just where it belonged. For, after all, isn't that what the Christian faith is all about-interior decorating?
"I can't think of a better description of the Christian life than 'interior decorating.'" he commented. "You see, the Bible emphasizes the fact that each of us has an 'inner man'-the real person down inside. The body may change and decay and even die, but the 'real you'down inside will live forever."

Pleasing Christ
A desire to please Christ is not something extra for the Christian. It is basic to Christian sanctity. It is not a dessert, but the main course-not a sideshow, but the main tent. It is not a motive to which we can resort to when convenient; it is a controlling force to which we have committed our lives. We have abandoned everything else. In time, applause and pleas of the world have a hollow ring. We are marching to a different drumbeat. His smile is singularly our greatest delight! This is the lifestyle of love. The Cross and the Crown
"The highest joy to the Christian almost always comes through suffering," said Alexander Maclaren. "No flower can bloom in Paradise which is not transplanted from Gethsemane. No one can taste of the fruit of the tree of life, that has not tasted of the fruits of the tree of Calvary. The crown is after the cross."

Frequent but Not Common
Bill Smith. There may be no name more common in the English language. In a seminary class, one professor related an event that happened his first day in college.
His teacher professed an uncanny command of the English language. It seemed that he always pulled out the most appropriate word for the occasion. On this, the first day of school, he was calling the roll. After recognizing each student he made some pertinent comment about his name-its history, meaning, or some historically related story. Finally, he came to Bill Smith. He said with a pause and in a reflective tone, "Bill Smith...that is a common name." Stirred from within, Bill arose from his seat and said in a loving but firm tone, "Sir, Bill Smith may be frequent but not common."
Who among us has not lived under the teacher's philosophy? Thinking there is nothing special about ourselves, we have concluded that we are common, everyday, ordinary. Let us continually remind ourselves that each one of us is a chosen person, a royal priest, a member of a holy nation, a person that belongs to God (1 Peter 2:9).

Tested!
The WEATHER Test-Are you a sailboat Christian, making progress in the Lord only if the winds are favorable and things go your way? Or are you a tugboat Christian, plowing right ahead according to God's Word even though the gales are against you? (Revelation 2:10).
The WORRY Test-If you trust, you do not worry; if you worry, you do not trust as you should. Haven't you found that "He keeps him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him" because he trusts in God? (Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:27).
The WORLDLINESS Test-Do you think as the world thinks, go where the world goes, act as the world acts? Does your life give evidence of having your affections set on things above, not on things of the world? (Romans 12:1).
The WALLET Test-What proportion of your income last year was turned over for the work of the Lord? Was it at least as much as the tithe which the Jews paid before the grace of God was revealed in Christ? (Leviticus 27:30; Nehemiah 12:44).
The WORK Test-How much of your energy is being given to the work of the Lord, and is it a reasonable portion of what you are expending in the day-to-day task of making a living? (John 9:4).
The SOUL-WINNING Test-Are you by life and lip presenting Christ so that He is attractive to those who do not know Him as their Savior and Lord? (Matthew 12:30; Romans 15:5-6).

I Missed Church...But God Understands!
Quite often, when people are encouraged to put aside whatever is preventing them from attending services regularly, they will say: "Well, I really should be there, but I think God understands!"
God has gone on record in Hebrews 10:25 as saying, "Not forsaking the assembling...." He does not understand why some of His people willfully hold to habits of forsaking the assembly! God does understand that we need to meet to praise Him and study His Word. God understands that others need the encouragement of our presence, we are a family that He put together. He does understand group fellowship, the power of people meeting together for mutual strengthening.
But do we understand those things? Many times we do not-and that is why so many allow Satan to bring one little excuse after another into their lives until they are separated from our God and His assembly.
Let us pray that God will help us to understand the need, the purpose and the power of attendance to Bible classes and worship services whenever the doors are open. And let us pray for the courage to do our part in making the gathering of the saints a time of love, praise, and spiritual growth! It is a matter of spiritual life and death, really, not only for us, but also for others whom we are influencing. Think about it!

Trees
"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water" (Psalms 1:3).
Who shall be like a tree? The good man, anyone who loves God, and loves his Bible and loves to do right.
The trees can teach us many lessons:
Grow straight and beautiful. Live a life so you will have a good reputation; do not let any sin make you grow crooked and full of knots and gnarls.
Be sound of heart. Some beautiful trees are rotten-hearted, hollow-hearted. They are dying trees, they are hypocrites, the lumber man cuts one down and it cannot be used. Be honest, be true, be sincere, be what you want people to think you are.
Be strong. Do not let any little wind of temptation blow you over. Overcome evil with good. Sometimes the winds topple even live trees in the forest, but God is better to His children than trees. "Ye shall not be tempted above that ye are able."
Keep growing. Last winter was cold, last summer was hot, but every live tree grew a little; it added one more ring to the trunk, a few more twigs to the branches. Do not let trouble keep you from growing in faith; do not let hard work keep you from growing in love; keep growing every year.
Give help to others. All live trees are of some use-shade, timber, nuts or fruits. Every Christian can be of some use in the world. Find your work and do it well.
God cares for all. For every tree there is a place to grow, plenty of air, light and rain. There is also for you all that you need. God cares for all His children. He never has forgotten one; He will never fail you nor forsake you.
Be contented. No tree ever worries, fusses, or grumbles. Does it grow in a wilderness? It may yet be a part of a city palace. Is your life lonely or sad? Some day death will transplant you into the great city of heaven.
The trees look in at your window, they smile down upon you along the streets. Learn the lessons that they teach, and you may be like a tree planted by the river of water.

Totality
I must have a whole Christ for my salvation;
I must have a whole Bible for my staff;
I must have a whole church for my fellowship;
I must have a whole world for my parish.-Augustine

Salt of the Earth
In his early remarks during what we call the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes His disciples as "the salt of the earth." Notice this verse carefully:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men" (Matthew 5:13).
Jesus takes it for granted that all understood the uselessness of salt that is incapable of preserving and flavoring. "Throw it away!" is His advice for useless salt. The application to Christians is clearly seen. God put us here to preserve and flavor His world. If we are not doing that, what good are we to Him or others?
In A.D. 252, a killing plague swept through the North African city of Carthage. The heathens threw the dead in the streets and fled the city in fear for their lives. Cyprian, leader of the church in Carthage, marshaled the saints and they began burying the dead and nursing the sick. Their action saved the city and thrust the church into prominence in the minds of its citizens.
Good people are salting the earth and preserving the creation of God. They are lighting the world and glorifying the God who made it.
I have a question: If we are not salting this earth and lighting this world, then why are we here?

Things You Will Never Be Sorry For:
For telling the truth;
For living a pure life;
For your faith in Christ;
For acknowledging your sins;
For doing your best;
For thinking before judging;
For forgiving your enemies;
For helping a fallen brother;
For being loyal to the church;
For standing by your principles;
For being courteous and kind;
For money given to he Lord's cause;
For being honest in business. Be a Doer
If you have a gift-bring it.
If you have a song-sing it.
If you have a talent-use it.
If you have love-diffuse it.
If you have sadness-bear it.
If you have gladness-share it.
If you have happiness-give it.
If you have religion-live it.
If you have a prayer-pray it. A Friend Is...
A push when you're stopped,
A guide when you're searching,
A song when you're glad,
A word when you're lonely,
A smile when you're sad.

What Do You Do for Fun?
Several years ago a Christian girl told me about an incident with a young man who had been asking to date her. He was not a member of the church, and they just didn't have anything in common. She had turned him down twice and now she had said "no" to attending a rock concert with him. In a kind of mock exasperation, the young man asked, "What do you do for fun? You don't dance, you don't drink, you don't attend rock concerts, what do you do for fun?"
To the young man she replied, "For fun I get up in the morning without feeling embarrassed, ashamed and guilty about what I did the night before."
The young man had nothing more to say. She was right; it is fun not to feel guilty for your actions the night before.
Come to think of it, there are many things in life that are fun. For example, that Christian girl is now married to a fine Christian man. They have a little girl and are building an outstanding Christian home together. I am thrilled thinking about the fun she is having!
She is having fun every day living without the affliction of deep scars of fornication, drugs or alcohol, and regrets from her past. It's fun getting ready each afternoon to receive a husband home from work, knowing that he won't be stopping off at a local bar for a few drinks with the boys. It is fun knowing that while he is away from her, his Christian conduct won't allow infidelity or even flirting. It's fun watching him hold his little girl on his lap with loving, protecting arms. It's fun knowing that her little girl will never see her father in a drunken stupor or experimenting with drugs. It's fun living with assurance that the home will be led by a spiritual leader who will guide each family member toward heaven.
The list of fun things for Christians is endless;what do you do for fun? Can Man Be Just a Christian?
At times it appears that in our "Christian world" man is converted to a church rather than to Jesus Christ. Loyalty to a body of believers seems to have priority over allegiance to the Lord Jesus. Although each religion claims faith in the same Bible, because of certain doctrines peculiar to various denominations they separate themselves from one another. Frequently each denomination is divided into a number of sects.
Is it possible for man simply to be a "Christian"? Must he separate himself with some denominational name as Baptist Christian, Methodist Christian, etc.? God doesn't divide believers into various denominations-man does. Even with his own church choice, man is frequently at variance with his brother over some biblical understanding. Also, world Bible scholars differ in matters pertaining to Scripture understanding.
What authority does one believer have in saying, "I am right and you are wrong," or "I am more honest than you." Certainly the Bible is right, but does it necessarily follow that I am the one who has perfect understanding? Do you ever differ with members of your family over some conviction? Does it mean that you are no longer a member of that family? If there can be no unity in diversity, there is simply no possibility of unity, for we all differ in many things.

Short and Long Term Survival
Here is a spiritual insight from Charles A. Lindbergh: "Short term survival may depend on the knowledge of nuclear physicists and the performance of supersonic aircraft, but long term survival depends alone on the character of man. We must remember that it was not the outer grandeur of the Roman but the inner simplicity of the Christian that lived on through the ages."

Something Larger
"Bad will be the day," said Phillips Brooks, "for every man when he becomes absolutely contented with the life that he is living, with the thoughts that he is thinking, with the deeds that he is doing, when there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant and made to do because he is still, in spite of all, the child of God."