Dangers of Drifting

Hebrews 2:1 "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."

Laws of the Drift:

You always drift down stream.

You can drift without realizing you are doing so.

It takes no effort to drift. When we stop battling we often start drifting.

Drifting cost you plenty. Sin takes you father than you want to go; keeps you longer than you will want to stay and will cost you more than you want to pay.

Drifting puts others in danger as well.

The closer to the “falls” you get the faster the current.

If you fail to stop drifting the trip will end in disaster.

How to know when you are drifting.

When you find you are reading Bible less than you once did.

When you find you are praying less than you once did.

When you find you are attending church less than you once did.

When you find you are sharing the gospel less than you once did.

When you find you are reading Bible less than you once did.

When you desire for worldly things is growing stronger.

When sin hold on you is increasing.

How to stop drifting!

Get out of the water until you are stronger.

Stop doing what you were doing when you started to drift.

Paddle once again against the tide.

Separate yourself from those who are drifting with you.

Enlist the help of those who are going the right direction.

Refocus on where you want to go.

Be sure you are anchored in Christ.

By Jim Preston

The Blonde Mortician

A man who just died is delivered to a local mortuary wearing an
expensive, expertly tailored black suit.

The Blonde mortician asks the deceased's wife how she would
like the body dressed. She points out that the man does look good
in the black suit he is already wearing.

The widow, however, says that she always thought her husband
looked his best in blue, and that she wants him in a blue suit. She
gives the Blonde mortician a blank check and says, "I don't care what
it costs, but please have my husband in a blue suit for the viewing."

The woman returns the next day for the wake. To her delight, she
finds her husband dressed in a gorgeous blue suit with a subtle chalk
stripe; the suit fits him perfectly.

She says to the mortician, "Whatever this cost, I'm very satisfied.
You did an excellent job and I'm very grateful. How much did you
spend?"

To her astonishment, the blonde mortician presents her with the
blank check. "There's no charge," she says.

"No, really, I must compensate you for the cost of that exquisite
blue suit!" she says.

"Honestly, ma'am," the blonde says, "it cost nothing. You see, a
deceased gentleman of about your husband's size was brought in
shortly after you left yesterday, and he was wearing an attractive blue
suit.

I asked his wife if she minded him going to his grave wearing a
black suit instead, and she said it made n o difference as long as he
looked nice."

"So I just switched the heads."

What the Bible Says About Television

(The version of Psalm 23 believed by most Christians today)

The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want,

It makes me lie down on the sofa; it leads me away from the faith.

It destroys my soul; it leads me in the paths of fornication and violence for the sponsor’s sake.

Yea though I walk in the shadow of Christian responsibilities there will be no interruption, for the TV is with me, its cable and remote they comfort me.

It prepares a commercial for me in the presence of all my worldliness, it anoints my head with humanism and consumerism, my coveting runneth over.

Surely insignificance and ignorance shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.

True Christian Living

Titus 2:12,13 "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"

1. True Christian Living denies ungodliness and worldly lust.

2. True Christian Living, lives Godly, soberly, righteously in this present world.

3. True Christian Living, lives with the 2nd Coming of Jesus in mind every day.

By Jim Preston

I DO BELIEVE IT'S A COMIN'!!!

Three strangers strike up a conversation in the airport passenger lounge in Bozeman, Montana, while awaiting their respective flights.

One is an American Indian passing through from Lame Deer. Another is a Cowboy on his way to Billings for a livestock show & the third passenger is a fundamentalist Arab student, newly arrived at Montana State University from the Middle East

Their discussion drifts to their diverse cultures. Soon, the two Westerners learn that the Arab is a devout, radical Muslim who has a famous relative in America. The conversation falls into an uneasy lull.

The cowboy leans back in his chair, crosses his boots on a magazine table and tips his big sweat-stained hat forward over his face.

The wind outside is blowing tumbleweeds around, and the old windsock is flapping; but still no airplane comes.

Finally, the American Indian clears his throat and softly he speaks, 'At one time here, my people were many, but sadly, now we are few.'

The Muslim student raises an eyebrow and leans forward, 'Once my people were few here,' he sneers, 'and now we
are many. Why do you suppose that is?'

The Montana cowboy shifts his toothpick to one side of his mouth and from the darkness beneath his Stetson says in a smooth drawl . .

'That's 'cause we ain't played Cowboys and Muslims yet, but I do believe it's a-comin'.'

Little Is Much When God Is In It

“One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.” John 6:8–11

Thousands of hungry people surrounded Him. There wasn’t enough money to buy food for everyone, so Christ sent His disciples out to find food among the people. No one could find anything except for Andrew who found a little boy with a lunch that consisted of five loaves of bread and two fishes. This boy was willing to give his lunch to Jesus.

From Andrew’s perspective, this wasn’t very much. He had searched and found what he could in his own strength, and he offered it to Christ, not knowing what the Lord was going to do with it. He told God, “This isn’t much, but You asked for us to find food, so this is what I found. You can have it.”

Sometimes Christians can think they don’t have much to offer Christ. You may not be the most eloquent speaker, the most gifted singer, or the boldest witness, but don’t fail to see the bigger picture. It isn’t about what talent you have or what you can do alone; it’s about what God wants to do through you. God doesn’t require a certain talent; He only requires your willingness to be used by Him.

When you do your part, God will do His part. This young boy was willing to do His best for God. He gave his lunch—all that he had. But notice that a wonderful thing took place! John 6:11 says, “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.” Notice the phrase “as much as they would.” Jesus kept distributing the bread until the entire crowd had been fed "as much as they would." This was a complete work, for no one was going to go home hungry.

Aren’t you glad that God delights in blessing the simple things of this life? In 1986, when my wife and I moved to Lancaster and I preached that first message to roughly twenty people in a downtown building, you would not have had to remind us that we weren’t much. We didn’t have any talent or many material possessions, but we did have faith in God and belief in His Word. And over the years we have seen that little is much when God is in it.

First Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” When you give your life to God, no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve been through, He will use it for His glory. You will be amazed at how God will bless and use you as His servant. All you need is faith and a willingness to serve God.

Does God have your life today? Maybe you dedicated your life to Him many years ago, but are you still living by faith in Him? It doesn’t matter what you have in the way of material possessions or special talent. All God wants from you is your all. Let God have full control of every aspect of your life. Offer what you have to Him just like the little lad did with the lunch, and remember that little is much when God is in it.

By Dr. Paul Chappell

Blonde Joke

A blonde was weed-eating her yard and accidentally cut off the
tail of her cat who was hiding in the grass. She rushed her cat along
with the tail over to Walmart!

Why Walmart? Walmart is the largest retailer in the world!