Sermon Central
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I Have A Friend Back Home Named Alison. I've ...
Contributed by Mary Lewis on Jun 11, 2004 (message contributor)
I have a friend back home named Alison. I’ve known Alison for several years now, and I’ve noticed something. In fact its hard to help noticing if you’re around her a lot. She loves birthdays. You see, Alison will turn 16 this year. And though her birthday isn’t ‘til August, she’s been talking about it for months. She’s not excited just because of the presents and the sweets, although she likes them. It’s because she is EXCITED about getting a year older. This year, of course, she’s looking forward to getting her learner’s permit – the first step towards her license.
A couple of years ago, she was excited because she was going to turn 13 and she officially became a TEENAGER. She had looked forward to that day for a long, long time. After she turns 16, she will no doubt start to count the months until she reaches the magic age of freedom: 18!
Do you know why kids love birthdays and adults don’t? Because kids love what they are becoming, and adults are afraid of what they are becoming.
Do you remember that old commercial that said, “You’re not getting older, you’re getting better!”? If it is our desire to become like Christ, then we can be excited about our birthdays, too – because we can be excited about what we are becoming. If we realize that we are becoming more like Him with every birthday, then we can act like kids again about our birthdays. If we build our hope on becoming like Christ, on the inward process, not the outward process, then we can take heart, and not lose heart, even in the midst of suffering.
We can celebrate our birthdays again – because faithful followers of Christ are getting better all the time.
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A. W. Tozer, Another Wonderful Devotional Writer ... PRO
Contributed by Mary Lewis on Jul 2, 2002
A. W. Tozer, another wonderful devotional writer said this: The widest thing in the universe is not space; it is the potential capacity of the human heart. Being made in the image of God, it is capable of almost unlimited extension in all directions. And one of the world’s greatest ...read more
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Charles Spurgeon Offers This Warning: "If You ... PRO
Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 10, 2002
Charles Spurgeon offers this warning: “If you haven’t looked at Christ on the cross, you’ll have to look at Him on the throne—with great trembling. The sacrificial death of Christ will be brought before the eyes of all who refuse to accept His free gift of forgiveness and eternal life. In ...read more
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Henri Nouwen, Who Was A Roman Catholic Priest And ...
Contributed by Mary Lewis on Jul 2, 2002
Henri Nouwen, who was a Roman Catholic priest and a man of deep devotion to Christ said this: I often think: "A life is like a day; it goes by so fast. If I am so careless with my days, how can I be careful with my life?" I know that somehow I have not ...read more
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If The World Were A Village Of 1000 People, Next ... PRO
Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 7, 2002
If the world were a village of 1000 people, next year’s population would be 1018. Twenty-eight people would be born, but 10 would die: three from lack of food, one from cancer, two in birth, one from war or crime, and three from natural causes. Two-hundred people from this village would receive ...read more
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One Blistering Hot Day When They Had Guests For ...
Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Nov 8, 2004
One blistering hot day when they had guests for dinner, Mother asked 4-year old Johnny to return thanks. “But I don’t know what to say!” the boy complained. “Oh, just say what you hear me say” his mother replied. Obediently the boy bowed his head and mumbled, ...read more
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