Contributed by Steve Smith on Jan 6, 2007
I read one time about how shipbuilders back in the days of sailboats would prepare the masts for their ships. They would go to the forest and find an appropriate tree, then they would clear out all the surrounding trees and leave that one standing, leaving it exposed to the wind and storms.
As the
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Steve Smith on Jan 6, 2007
"We were on shipboard," relates a captain’s wife, "lying on side from storm in a Southern harbor. We were obliged, first to make our way ashore. The waves were rolling heavily. I became frightened at the thought of attempting it, when one came to me, saying, ’Do not be afraid: I will take care of
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jun 29, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 1,250 views
The story is told of a little girl who was touring a large, ornate cathedral which had "saints" pictured in the elaborate stained glass windows. She asked her father, "Daddy, who are those people?" And he responded, "Honey, those are saints, do you know what a saint is?" She thought for a moment
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 4, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 3,419 views
A preacher one day was preaching on perfection and he asked the congregation, "Does anybody here claim to be or even claim to know another person beside Jesus Christ who is perfect?" To his surprise a man in the back stood up. The preacher said, "Sir, you can’t actually be standing up claiming to
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 4, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 1,270 views
You see “perfect” in terms of God’s expectation of us does not mean sinless - we can’t be sinless we’ve already blown that! But perfection when understood in the context of progression is possible. Let Odessa Texas’ Permian Cougars coach Gary Gaines explain it.
{Video Clip: Friday Night Lights -
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 4, 2007
Max Lucado tells of a friend of his who teaches under-privileged children in an inner city church. Her class is a group of 9 year olds who love life and aren’t afraid of God. There is one exception though, a timid girl named Barbara. She lives in a home that has left her afraid and insecure. For
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 13, 2007
His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can’t bathe or feed himself. He can’t brush his teeth, comb his hair, or put on his underwear. His shirts are held together by strips of Velcro. His speech drags like a worn-out audio cassette. Robert Reed has a severe case of cerebral palsy. The
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Steve Smith on Jul 16, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 4,426 views
ILL: The Heart of Worship
There’s a recent song that was written by a young man who lead the worship at church. He was an extremely talented singer, but the preacher there took him aside and told him that he could not lead the singing at church until things changed because he saw that he was more
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Steve Smith on Jul 16, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 4,533 views
ILLUSTRATION: BY LIFE OR BY DEATH
John Piper, in his book, “Future Grace”, reprinted a letter by Carl Lundquist, former president of Bethel College and Seminary. In 1988, the doctors told him he had a rare form of cancer which invaded the skin over his entire body and ended his life three years
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Steve Smith on Jul 16, 2007
POEM: DON’T QUIT
When things go wrong as they sometime will,
when the road your trudging seems all up hill,
When funds are low and debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
rest if you must but please don’t quit.
Life is queer with it’s twist
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Steve Smith on Jul 16, 2007
"Worry is the warning light that God is really not first in my life at this
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Steve Smith on Jul 16, 2007
Graham Scroggie - "Pray when you feel like it, pray when you don’t feel like it,
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 27, 2007
The AIS, the American Institute of Stress - Yeah, there’s actually such a place - which says a lot! - their research says that 75- 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems. They agree with health officials who say that heart disease, strokes, gastritis, ulcers
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 27, 2007
Howard Hendricks a Bible College professor, tells of the time they had a guest over for dinner and his 4 year old son prayed at the table. He said, "God, make this food easy to eat and protect the fence in the back yard. Jesus name, Amen." The guest said afterwards, "The food part I understand, but
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 27, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 3,746 views
The story is told of a man who requested in his will to be buried in a very unusual way. When he died, he wanted everyone to look upon him as successful, so he asked that after his death his body be placed propped behind the wheel of a brand new pink Cadillac, and to have a smile on his face and an
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Scripture:
Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 27, 2007
Here’s maximum effort, giving it everything you’ve got. Determination, perseverance. Allow me to let Hitch, the date Doctor, to define this principle for us.
{Video Clip: Hitch - Start: Chp. 9: 32:55 - End: 35:00 = 2:05}
Did you hear Hitch’s definition? “Perseverance is
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 3, 2007
based on 2 ratings
| 2,047 views
1 Tim. 6:6-9- "6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
You know that verse is the absolute truth? I was at my kids birth and they brought nothing into this world. My two boys didn’t pop out wearing Reeboks. My
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 3, 2007
based on 7 ratings
| 1,918 views
Haddon Robinson tells the story of young Chinese boy who wanted to learn all about jade. He went to an old teacher who specialized in the beautiful gem and asked him to teach him. The old man agreed. In lesson 1 the old man placed a piece of the precious stone into the young man’s hand and told him
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Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Cameron Smith on Aug 4, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 1,770 views
I was watching a movie the other day called Blood Diamond, a film about the terrible loss and suffering caused by internal conflict in Sierra Leone. The main character turns to his friend and says “Sometimes I wonder if God will ever forgive us for what we’ve done to each other. Then I look around
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Denomination:
Episcopal/Anglican
Contributed by Cameron Smith on Aug 4, 2007
based on 4 ratings
| 3,438 views
I wanted to end by recalling the story of a man named Horatio Spafford. In 1873, he and his family of 4 kids decided to go to London from New York to join the evangelistic movement in England. At the last minute, Horatio was delayed but sent his family by boat anyway. On November 2nd, the ship
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Scripture:
Denomination:
Episcopal/Anglican