Have you ever noticed who does the booing at a ball game? It’s not he players on field. They have made their own mistakes and they are not inclined to boo their fellow-player when he makes his. They are pulling for one another, encouraging, helpful. They play as a team, win or lose as a team, suffer together as a team, rejoice together as a team. It is the spectators who boo. So it is in every walk of life: it is the spectators who as a rule do the criticizing, not the participants.

Unfortunately, in every congregation there are the spectators and the participants. The spectators never teach a Bible class, preach, visit or do personal work, lead singing, or preside at the table; they really don’t get that much involved in the worship itself. But more often than not, they are the very ones who are found criticizing the preacher or song leader or Bible class teacher. They are the ones who are so embarrassed and incensed when someone commits an “error” in his efforts to lead the group. They come wanting to hear something interesting and that will make the time fly by. If they hear, they “cheer”; if not, they “boo.”

Not so with the true participants, those who are really involved in the Lord’s work. They are the ones “cheering on” that “rookie” who is preaching his first sermon or leading his first song. When a brother attempts to teach his first Bible class, they are looking for ways to be helpful. They are sympathetic; they rejoice in the success of others; they mourn over the sorrows of others; they feel for the one who has failed, make allowance for him to try again, and assure him that he will do better next time. They rejoice especially in the development of the young men and women in the Lord’s work. They are just as nervous and excited when the young people make their first attempt at presiding at the table or teaching a class as they would be if they were their own children.

How many preachers have decided to move because of booing spectators right at the time when the participants were enjoying their greatest spiritual growth? How many elders have planned a work around the demands of the spectators rather than the needs of the participants?

Spectators need to become participants and find out what it’s like out there “on the field.” Participants need to keep on doing their best, ignoring the “boos” while looking to their all-seeing and understanding “Manager” for approval. All need to be preparing for judgment, where it will be the “doers of the word,” not the critics, who will be saved. “Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humble minded” ( 1 Peter 3:8).

More On Fault Finding

Fault finding is not difficult. Isaac Murray illustrates this in his story on how a dog hitched to a lawn mower stopped pulling to bark at a passer-by. The boy who was guiding the mower said, “Don’t mind the dog, he’s just barking for an excuse to rest. It’s easier to bark than to pull the mower!”one, easier to hinder than to help, easier to destroy reputations than to construct character. Fault finding is as dangerous as it is easy. Anyone like the Pharisees can grumble, criticize or censure. But it takes a great individual to go on working faithfully and lovingly and rise superior to it all, as Jesus did.

I hope that these 52 days have been a period of growth and strengthening of your relationship with God.  It is my prayer that  your spiritual walls are higher and stronger than when we began this journey.  There is no better way to conclude our 52 days than to see one of our family members  growing and stretching himself.  This is what the 52 days have been about.  My thanks to Kory Wesley for writing this final devotional.   I hope that you find it as motivating and encouraging as I did.  May God be glorified by all of our efforts.

Living at 212 Degrees

212, “The Extra Degree”, captures a simple, yet powerful concept. At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees it boils, and with boiling water comes steam, which can power a train. The one extra degree makes all the difference.

“Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up!!!” (Thomas Edison)

The Bible gives us three examples of men who went the extra degree:

David: He was anointed King 3 times until he finally stayed on the throne, but all the while he continually pursued God’s heart.

Joshua: Though he lost the battle at Ai, he pushed through failure, got rid of what was holding him down, and lived a life of continuous victories in the Promised Land.

The Disciples: Though they ran away from Jesus in the Garden, they were all instrumental in establishing the church, and all but one gave their lives for the cause.

As we bring our 52 day challenge to a close, how can we continue to go the extra degree? Sending up one extra prayer each day is a simple thing, but do that every day for a year and that’s 365 extra prayers. My challenge to you is to keep growing stronger even when the 52 days are up. Each day, go the extra degree. One extra degree every day for a year could equal 365 hugs, phone calls, or cards. That’s 365 chances to build each other up and strengthen our walls. Water at 212 degrees creates the steam that powers a train. Just one degree less and the train is powerless.  Let us go the extra degree, lest we become like a motionless train with a load of goods and places to be, but no way to get there.  Just like a loaded freight train, God has filled us with talents, abilities, love, mercy and grace. We, like the train, have places to go and people who need what we have when we get there. If we do not go the extra degree, we are like a freight train being run with merely hot water: immobile and useless.

“ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:10-11

 By Kory Wesley

Some things just need a woman’s touch.  This corner of our website is dedicated to women – helping us learn, serve, fellowship and grow deeper together.  Are you a first time mom or an empty-nester? Are you still seeking God’s choice in a mate, are you single again or are you celebrating many years of marriage?  Are you the volunteer extraordinaire or in a fast-paced career? We want to serve and support you – wherever you are in your walk with God!

Come back often to explore new articles, thoughts, devotionals and studies into God’s Word, especially for you!

Food For Thought: Has Our Joking Gotten Out of Hand?

We live in a society where being “quick witted” means survival of the “wittiest”!! Just ask our teenagers!! If you don’t know how to “dole out” the one-liners, then you are left “eating the dust” of the one who preceded you!! Well, we can’t have that now, can we?! The problem with this “way of communication” is that all too often it gets waaaayyyy…..out of hand! ( More…)

The Loss of Shame in Women: Culture Invading the Church

A five part study on the subject of modesty. A sensitive subject, but one that must be addressed…In the mean time, take a second look at what you are wearing. Will it bring glory to God? Are you distinct from the world? How is your attitude? (More...)

Two Uniquely Feminine Challenges

I sometimes become tired of self-help books that suggest marriages would be harmonious if we understood that there are innate differences in men and women. It’s not that I don’t believe we have differences, it’s just that often these books address stereotypes rather than useful differences. (more…)

Prayer

Let us follow David’s example of overflowing praise to our Lord and King most High. May we learn to express our great joy and recognition that our Father is worthy of PRAISE!! (more…)

Motherhood is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)

Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for. (more…)

Meditation

What is meditation and how will it help us to confront the daily challenges of our faith? (more…)

Shine

“…therefore you all shine like stars in the universe to this crooked generation…’ Philippians 2:15 I read the verse last week and to be honest, I just wasn’t feeling it.  (more…)

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” (NLT) Proverbs 31:30

Sunday 9am -The First Day of the Week.

Sunday 10am : Revival, Do We Need One?

Sunday 5pm: Reclaiming Surrendered Ground

Monday 7pm: Little house on the Freeway: The Dangers of Busy Lives.

Tuesday 7pm: Bringing the Cross into Your Marriage.

Wednesday 7pm: Power in the Blood.

Thursday 7pm: The Day Saul was Saved.

Friday 7pm: The Night Before

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Please consider with prayer:

We live in a society where being “quick witted” means survival of the “wittiest”!! Just ask our teenagers!! If you don’t know how to “dole out” the one-liners, then you are left “eating the dust” of the one who preceded you!! Well, we can’t have that now, can we?! The problem with this “way of communication” is that all too often it gets waaaayyyy…..out of hand! We “forget” ourselves and wind up crossing the line and saying very hurtful things. All in the name of a “JOKE”!! Or is it? Are we really telling the truth when we say, “I was just joking”?

Proverbs 26:18-19 (NIV) ¹⁸ Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
¹⁹ is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

WOW!! Have you ever come across this verse before? Did you know it was in God’s word? I was a teenager when my Dad showed me this verse and I have never forgotten it!! Although, I must say, I have been guilty of saying things in jest and hurting others, of which I greatly regret. One time I almost said something that would have been devastating to the recipient had it not been stopped. It really scared me to think of, had I said it, the damage that would have been done. Words spoken can’t be taken back once they are released and the person whose ears they fall on will forever have them written on their heart. “Be careful little mouth what you say”. (Remember the song we teach our children? Let’s practice what we preach!)

By: Dede Harris, SCOC

Here is an article I found on the net about this verse. Please consider with prayer:

http://tammycardwell.net/publisher/pagetext.asp?bookID=4&pageID=28

Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days…what good work can you do in 52 days? Join us this Sunday, March 11th, and start the 52 Day challenge with us!

Take the challenge to be like Nehemiah and his wall-building team and strengthen our hands for good work. “Let us arise and build.”

UPDATE: Listen to the Sermon: 52 Days

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by Melanie Basham

US Researchers have backed this up with several studies finding that the saying “its better to give than receive” is true.  ”Most people would think that if you make more money you are going to be a lot happier,” said Michael Norton, a professor at Harvard Business School. “Our results, and a lot of other people’s results, show that making more money makes you a little bit happier, but doesn’t really have a huge impact on you. Our studies suggest maybe that little changes in how you spend it make a difference.” The conclusion of the study showed that regardless of income level, those people who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not. Isn’t that how our Lord works. His ways are not our ways. Our own wisdom is upside down to how He works. He exalts the humble (Matt 23:12), He chose the poor on this earth  to be rich in faith (James 2:5), His power is shown in our own weaknesses (2 Cor. 12:9), and on and on…

Think about a time when you gave someone something they didn’t even know they needed, but  they fell in love with the item as soon as they saw it in the box. I imagine that this is the feeling that comes over God, whenever we accept His gift of salvation and respond in love and then obedience to it.

Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15: 1-7. In this parable he likens salvation to a lost sheep being found by its shepherd. “And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

Ultimately, this is the heart of the idea that it is better to give than receive. God gave us the ultimate gift of salvation through the birth and death of Jesus Christ. For many of us, it is a gift we went along without, not realizing we needed it until we finally received it. God desires our gifts of praise and service to Him, but actually rejoices when we accept His gift to us. Whenever we give to those we love this year, let it serve as a reminder that we have already received the greatest gift and let it motivate us to share that gift with others.

Part 1

This is not a new battle. It’s not a new attitude. This is a need to be like everybody else….”Please don’t ask me to transform my life!” And that statement is not new either.

Do you remember what Eve did the moment she realized she had disobeyed God? She clothed herself. She felt shame. And she had not known the idea of shame prior to her submission to Satan. Therefore, we can conclude that covering our bodies is done so because of the shame it would be otherwise. And also let it be said that initially, God created us without shame and without clothes.

There have always been women who took it upon themselves to use their partially clothed bodies to attract men.  The daughter of Herodias danced for men in order to please and attract them. It is believed that she performed the Dance of the Seven Veils. It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out the veils were removed during the dance to show as much skin as possible…probably to the point of being naked. So…attracting men by showing of the body has been among men and women for a long time.

How Did We Get This Far?

It has been said that each generation goes farther than the previous. Skirts got shorter. Jeans got tighter. Blouses got lower. Music blasted more vulgarity. Movies that once were rated “X” are now “R’s” and some Pg-13′s should have been left in the “R” category. So…who decided it’s acceptable to make the skirt shorter, the jeans tighter and the movies with more sex and nudity? Answer…somebody with money, media connections and greed. And that somebody knew that if television and magazines put those in front of us over and over and over…we would want it. Worked didn’t it?

As we fast forward to our present time, we see an influx of “society says so” into the church. What used to be embarrassing has become norm. And the greater sadness is knowing that church leaders nor older women will say anything. Silence seems to be golden.

I will have to tell you that this particular topic has not always been well received. I’ve taught it in ladies Bible classes and have been yelled at, ridiculed, called a liar and excluded from functions of a select group of women. While all of that is painful and truly shows immaturity, I had to conclude that the hurls of insults were about the message and not necessarily the messenger. Needless to say…this is a “HOT” topic.

SPEAKING TO YOUR HEART
We will take the next few weeks to address this sensitive subject. It will be direct. So be prepared. My hope is to make you think the next time you are deciding about what to wear for any occasion. I will be using several resources from various backgrounds. And the purpose of that is to try and help us understand how this affects people from all walks of life. Do your best to keep your heart soft.

Thank you for your interest and patience. This subject of Modesty must be addressed. I know that my husband has become disgusted with the latest wedding dress fashions. And that is something we will discuss also.

In the mean time…take a double look at what you are wearing. Will it bring glory to God? Are you distinct from the world? How is your attitude?

Blessings,

Julie
reprinted from Java with Julie

Modesty Part 2 - A Heart Issue

Modesty Part 3 – What Guys Think About Modesty

Modesty Part 4 – Brides &  Young Ladies

Modesty Part 5 – In Desperate Need of Leadership