Rekindling the Fire.........by Charles Stanley

Rekindling the Fire
John 10:10

The Lord created us to live passionately for Him. In that way, we enjoy the blessings of an intimate relationship with our Creator. But there are other benefits as well. Just as the warmth and beauty of flames draw people toward the fireplace, God also uses our passion to draw others to Himself.

So, not just for our own sake but also for the sake of others, we must be careful not to let our fervor toward God fade. Thankfully, the indwelling Holy Spirit nudges believers who start to head in the wrong direction. If you sense this to be the case, you can take several steps to realign yourself with Him.

First, evaluate where you are spiritually--ask God whether your fire has grown cold. Second, acknowledge any distance you have allowed to separate you from your heavenly Father, and repent. Third, refocus your attention on Jesus; meditate on how He teaches His followers to live. Spend quality time in Scripture daily, asking the Lord to speak to you through His Word. Pray, not by using fancy words but by crying out earnestly and seeking God's face. Fourth, rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide you back to an intimate and exciting relationship with the Father. Finally, love and serve God by worshiping Him and reaching out to others.

What occupies your time and attention? Do your thoughts and conversation tend to revolve around worldly topics or the things of God? If your fire for Christ has dwindled, take the necessary steps today to renew your passion. Living closely with Him is well worth the effort and discipline.

When your fire grows dim.........by Charles Stanley

When Your Fire Grows Dim
2 Timothy 1:1-11

Do you feel yourself growing cold toward the Lord? Though we, who are children of God, can never lose our salvation, it is possible for our spiritual passion to cool.

Today's passage reveals that even Timothy experienced a decrease in his excitement for God. That's why Paul wrote, encouraging the young pastor at Ephesus to fan the flame of his faith.

Spiritual "cooling" can happen to any Christian. Oftentimes, it starts when tragedy or disappointment diverts one's attention. Instead of crying out to the Lord and finding shelter in Him, the believer slowly ceases reading the Bible. The Word of God is like wood in a fireplace: the flames can be kept alive only when there are logs to burn. As less time is spent in Scripture, other aspects of the relationship with God are affected: church attendance diminishes, giving becomes sporadic, and prayer--which seems increasingly stale--is used only for emergencies.

No longer willing to stand up for what he once deemed important, the Christian soon starts to compromise. He may feel plagued by guilt and become defensive about the way he is living. Finally, the joy, contentment, and peace from God are replaced by worry, doubt, and fear.

A believer who allows himself to drift will miss out on the joy and fulfillment of a rich relationship with the Lord. Think back. Is your excitement about the things of God stronger than ever before? Or has it diminished over time? If your fire needs stoking, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how.

a series of funnies..........

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It was Palm Sunday, and because of a sore throat, five year old Billy
stayed home from Church with a sitter. When his family returned
home they were carrying several Palm Branches. Billy asked what
they were for? His parents replied "People held them over Jesus'
head as He walked by." "Wouldn't you know it," Billy fumed, "The
one Sunday I don't go to Church, HE showed up!"

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One Easter Sunday as the Minister was preaching the Children's
Sermon, he reached into his bag of props and pulled out an egg.
He pointed at the egg and asked the children, "What's in here?"
I know a little boy exclaimed, "Pantyhose!"

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Little Johnny asked his Grandma how old she was. Grandma
answered, "39 and holding." Johnny thought for a moment, and
then said, "And how old would you be if you let go?"

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A little boy was in a relative's wedding. As he was going down the
aisle, he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd. While
facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar.
So it went, step ROAR step, ROAR, step,, ROAR, all the way down
the aisle. As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from
laughing so hard by the time he reached the pulpit.

When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, "I was
being the Ring Bear."

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One Sunday in a Midwest City, a young child was "acting up" during
the morning worship hour. The parents did their best to maintain
some sense of order in the pew but were losing the battle. Finally,
the father picked the little fellow up and walked sternly up the aisle
on his way out.

Just before reaching the safety of the foyer, the little one called
loudly to the congregation, "Pray for me! Pray for me!"

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One particular four-year old prayed, "And forgive us our trash
baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

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A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can' t make me a
better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."

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A Sunday School teacher asked her little children, as they were on
the way to church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in
church?"

One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."

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A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination,
looking at the old pages as he turned them. Then something
fell out of the Bible. He picked it up and looked at it closely. It
was an old leaf from a tree that has been pressed in between
the pages."Mama, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With
astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "It's
Adam's suit."

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The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he
preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike
cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in
the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again. After several
circles and jerks, a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her
mother and whispered, "If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"

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Six-year old Angie, and her four-year old brother, Joel, were sitting
together in church. Joel giggled, sang and talked out loud.

Finally, his big sister had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out
loud in church."

"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.

Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two
men standing by the door? They're hushers."

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My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do
you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo,
while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.

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A ten-year old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was
becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible. Then, one day,
she floored her grandmother by asking, "Which Virgin was the
mother of Jesus? The virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?"

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A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments.
They were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if
anyone could tell her what it was.

Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall not
take the covers off the neighbor's wife."

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Jeffie and Grandpa..........

JEFFIE AND GRANDPA

Jeffie was in his playpen and he was crying. Tears were rolling down his
little cheeks, his face was red as it could be. He was crying, and he looked
pitiful in his little baseball T-shirt and a diaper.

Then Jeffie's Grandpa entered the room; Jeffie's little face lit up when he
saw his Grandpa! He immediately reached out his little arms in supplication
and said "Out Pa Pa out."

What is a Grandpa to do? How can someone resist that?

So Grandpa went over to the playpen, he bent over. He reached down to lift
his little buddy from captivity and distress . . .

Just then "Law and Order" walked into the room.

Momma said "Jeffie, you stay right there! I'm punishing you because you have
been naughty! Dad, leave Jeffie alone!"

What is a Grandpa to do?

Grandpa backs off and is thinking, "I can't just pick up a book and read it
with Jeffie here. He would think I was uncaring and distant. I can't leave
the room because he would feel like I have abandoned him."

What is a Grandpa to do?

But you know what? Love always finds a way. Since Grandpa couldn't take
Jeffie out of the playpen, Grandpa climbed in with Jeffie!

Grandpa said "If you are in the playpen buddy, I'm in the playpen too. What
are you in for? What is your sentence?"

Having Grandpa join him in his "prison cell" brought Jeffie great comfort
and joy. In the midst of his captivity, Jeffie no longer felt so alone.

What Jeffie's Grandpa did is also a picture of what Jesus Christ did for us
when He came to Earth as a baby.

God the Father yearned to reach down into our "playpen of captivity" and
pull us out. He could not . . . because of our disobedience . . . because of
our sin. What did God do?

God climbed into our "playpen" with us!

When Jesus Christ entered into our "playpen of captivity," He took the sin
and disobedience that should have been ours alone, releasing us from our
captivity . . . allowing us the opportunity to experience the fullness of
life God has for us!

The message is simple, clear and personal: God with us . . . He loves you so
much He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life. For God did not
send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of
God's one and only Son." John 3:16-18 (NIV)

-- Author Unknown

Not Home Yet.........

NOT HOME YET

An old missionary couple had been working in Africa for years and was
returning to New York to retire. They had no pension; their health was
broken; they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. They discovered they
were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning
from one of his big-game hunting expeditions.

No one paid any attention to them. They watched the fanfare that accompanied
the President's entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the
great man. As the ship moved across the ocean, the old missionary said to
his wife, "Something is wrong.

Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all
these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes
back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives
two hoots about us."

"Dear, you shouldn't feel that way," his wife said. "I can't help it; it
doesn't seem right." When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to
greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers
were full of the President's arrival.

No one noticed this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a
cheap flat on the East Side, hoping the next day to see what they could do
to make a living in the city.

That night the man's spirit broke. He said to his wife, "I can't take this;
God is not treating us fairly." His wife replied, "Why don't you go in the
bedroom and tell that to the Lord?"

A short time later he came out from the bedroom, but now his face was
completely different. His wife asked, "Dear, what happened?"

"The Lord settled it with me," he said. "I told him how bitter I was that
the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us
as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put
his hand on my shoulder and simply said, 'But you're not home yet!"

-- Author Unknown