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Table of ContentsLinda's LetterWho We Are Ministry News Names of God Bible Study This Bible study will resume next month |
What a Holy, Happy Life! When God Paints Self-Deception New-Fashioned Salvation Knowing the Bible All There Is of God Ready to Go Unable to Be Willing For the Children Quick Jokes SpongeBob™ Pages to Color Funny News Headlines Two Sunday School Lessons Pig Sunscreen Deep Thoughts |
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Greetings, dear friends & family! I'm always amused by television commercials that compare the effectiveness of one laundry detergent to another. Have you seen them? They take two dirty socks or undershirts and wash each one in one of the detergents. Then after washing, they compare the two articles to see which one is whitest. Of course, the purpose of the demonstration is to prove that detergent "A" cleans better than detergent "B". But have you noticed, they never compare the formerly-dirty-now-clean article with a new one that's never been dirty?! That has caused me to pause and reflect on a very natural and oft-occurring practice among humankind. Generally speaking, if you ask someone if they're going to Heaven, they'll most likely tell you, "Yes." And if you ask them how they know, most will give you a list of the good things they've done — faithful husband, nurturing mother, loyal friend, honest employee, generous humanitarian, dependable church deacon.... Or, they may think about the things they haven't done — never robbed a bank, never killed anyone, never committed adultery, never drank alcohol or smoked, never told any "big" lies, never intentionally hurt anyone else, and so on. When evaluating our own goodness, most of us have an accurate sense of the morality of others, but we tend to overestimate our own morality. And if we look hard enough, even the worst of us can find someone whose actions make us look better. In other words, we compare one dirty soul to another dirty soul. But what happens when we hold ourselves up against God's perfect holiness and righteousness? There's no comparison! Even the best of us has to admit that we fall short. "Well, nobody's perfect!" you say? You're right. That's exactly what the Bible says: "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23) Notice, it says "all". That means my mother (who's a saint by most people's standards).... it means my pastor.... it means my "holier-than-thou" neighbor.... it means Lady Di.... it means Billy Graham.... it means Mother Teresa.... it means me.... and it means you.... It means just what it says. All of us have sinned! All of us do things that cause us to fall short of God's standard of perfection. For example: gossip, slander, pride, jealousy, mixed motives, grudges, "white" lies, cheating on taxes, etc. Many of us, too, are guilty of sins of omission — that is, not doing what we know we should and could do. Vince Lombardi Contrary to popular opinion, entrance into Heaven isn't based on good works, high morals, church attendance, baptism, or membership in the "right" denomination. It centers on the Person and work of Jesus Christ. If we acknowledge we're sinners not worthy of communion with God, and we receive Jesus' sacrificial death as payment for our rebellion and trust Him as Savior and Lord, we instantly become a child of the Most High God. Jesus Christ died and rose again so that everyone could be holy, as God is holy. In 1 John 1:7, John explains how the believer's sin is washed away. He says, "The blood of Jesus . . . cleanses us from all sin." Good works mean nothing unless they are the result of a clean spirit. We can become holy only by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ's gift of salvation. He who doesn't have God's Son doesn't have life." 1 John 5:12 (WEB) Could it possibly be any clearer than that?! How about you? Are you sure you're Heaven-bound?  Be blessed in Jesus' name, and remember: Christianity isn't about going to church; it's about coming to Christ!
Your sister & servant in Christ,  My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, it is impossible for me to respond to every person who writes. If you have an opinion or question, please understand that I will not offer personal advice or debate theological issues. You are welcome to send your opinions, corrections and questions, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to respond. If you're looking for some good Bible study sources, I recommend: Bible.org — Trustworthy Bible Study Resources, Blue Letter Bible Study Resources, Christian Courses by RBC Ministries, Precept Ministries International, In Touch Ministries, Shepherd Serve, Today In the Word, Today's Turning Point, all of which offer hundreds of pages of well-organized teaching articles, Bible studies, and/or daily email devotionals. |
To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world. Back to top |
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Pastor Linda Launching Spoken English Institute As the U.S. Dollar continues to depreciate against the Indian Rupee and other world currencies, our spendable "income" has effectively been reduced by more than 21% in the past five months. As a result and after much prayer and fasting, Pastor Linda has partnered with a young Muslim man, Mohammed Muzaffer, to launch "Mother Linda's Spoken English Institute". More than 50 adults have registered to date, and two one-hour classes will begin on Monday, July 2nd, and will run for three months. Whatever profit Linda receives from the institute will be used to assist our partner ministries' children's programs. Please pray that God would bless this new endeavor and that Muzaffer would come to faith in Christ through Linda's witness.  Manyando School Opens with More than 500 Students!Brother Zebron Chivunga in Kitwe, Zambia has opened the 2007 school year at Manyando Youth Action Community School with 500 children ages 5 to 12. The area where the school is located is economically disadvantaged by disease, poverty, and illiteracy. The children cannot attend public schools because their families don't have money for school fees, books, shoes, and uniforms which the schools require. Community schools like Zebron's accept children without any of these hindrances or obligations. In addition to providing primary education up to 6th class, Zebron and his volunteer teachers provide safe drinking water and a nutritious meal whenever possible — the only meal that most of these children receive on any given day. Please pray for Zebron and the teachers as they endeavor to improve these precious children's futures by equipping them to rise above the poverty and squalor that is their current condition. Back to top |
"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11
bounty. If we would live a life of holy victory amid the daily conflict of the flesh — we must live a life of daily faith upon Jesus, a life of daily waiting upon God. "THIS day, my Father! The supplies of yesterday are exhausted; those of tomorrow I leave with You. Give me this day all that its circumstances may demand. Give me . . . .....the clearness of judgment, .....the soundness of decision, .....the resoluteness of will, .....the integrity of principle, .....the uprightness of heart, .....the moral courage, .....the Christlike meekness, .....the holy love, .....the watchfulness and prayerfulness, .....the integrity and consistency, .....its yet unshaped history may require. I know not . . . .....what temptations I shall be exposed to, .....what foes I shall be assailed by, .....what trials I shall pass through, .....what clouds will shade, .....what sorrows will embitter, .....what circumstances will wound my spirit. Lord, give me . . . .....grace, .....strength, .....love, .....guidance, .....faith. Give me this day my daily bread." What a holy, happy life is this! It removes all care from the mind but the present; and for that present, the believer hangs upon a Father's care! Thus begin and continue your day with God. Its history is all . . . .....undeveloped, .....uncertain, and .....untraced. You cannot . . . .....foresee one step, .....be certain of one circumstance, .....or control one event. Let your prayer be, "Give me, Lord, all supplies for this day. I may have . . . .....trials of my judgment, .....trials of my affections, .....trials of conscience, .....trials of my principles, .....trials from those I most tenderly love. Lord, be with me, guide me with Your counsel, hold up my steps that they slide not, let Your comforts delight my soul." Day by day is the life of faith you are to live upon Jesus. It is DAILY bread . . . .....Jesus for each and for every day. .....Jesus for each day's needs. .....Jesus for each day's trials. .....Jesus for each day's sins. .....Jesus for life. .....Jesus for death. .....Jesus forever! Received from Grace Gems (choice electronic books, sermons, and quotes) Back to top |
Save time and money while supporting this ministry! Back to top |
Quick Jokes Why is the Mississippi such an unusual river? Because it has four eyes and can't see! Why did Robin Hood only rob the rich? Because the poor didn't have anything worth stealing! Why did Eve want to move to New York? She fell for the Big Apple! Who was the first underwater spy? James Pond! What is hairy and coughs? A coconut with a cold! What do you call a foreign body in a chip pan? An Unidentified Frying Object! Why did the lazy man want a job in a bakery? So he could loaf around! Back to top |
knowing the Author is another! Back to top |
The following photographs are the first in a series of 10 photos I'm going to share with you during the coming months that beautifully portray our loving Father's handiwork in nature. Enjoy!  ...... Back to top |
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who is available to all there is of God." Major Ian Thomas Back to top |
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV) You may have heard the story about the elderly woman who, when sitting in the waiting room for her first appointment with a new dentist, noticed his DDS diploma, which bore his full name. Suddenly, she remembered that a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in her high school class some 40-odd years ago. Could he be the same fellow whom she had a secret crush on, way back then? Upon seeing him, however, she quickly discarded any such thought. This balding, gray-haired man with the deeply-lined face was way, way too old to have been her classmate. After he examined her teeth, she asked him if he had attended Morgan Park High School. "Yes. Yes. I did. I'm a Morgan Mustang," he gleamed with pride. "When did you graduate?" she asked. He answered, "In 1959. Why do you ask?" "You were in my class!" she exclaimed. He looked at her closely and then asked, "What did you teach?" How easy it is, when meeting old friends we haven't seen for many years, and think to ourselves how much they have aged, not even imagining that they might be thinking the exact same thing about us. And amazing how easy it is to see "the speck of sawdust" in another's eye but fail to see "the plank" in our own eye. "Dear God, please help me to get real about my own self with all my sins and faults so that I will not be so judgmental of others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen." by "Daily Encounter" from ACTS International Back to top |
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Ready my place to fill, Ready for service, lowly or great, Ready to do His will. Charles D. Tillman (1903) Back to top |
The following are actual police headlines that have appeared in American newspapers. Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers Safety Experts Say School Bus Passengers Should be Belted Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant Killer Sentenced to Die for Second Time in 10 Years Drunken Drivers Paid $1000 in '84 Stolen Painting Found by Tree Judge to Rule on Nude Beach Police Discover Crack in Australia Men Recommend More Clubs for Wives Two Convicts Evade Noose; Jury Hung Deaf mute gets new hearing in killing Back to top |
 Come to sing and dance like King David did with the Psalms. We pray you will worship and praise in spirit and in truth with our anointed messianic CDs. |
Sunday School Lesson #1 A Sunday School teacher challenged her children to take some time on Sunday afternoon to write a letter to God. They were to bring their letters back the following Sunday. One little boy wrote, "Dear God, We had a good time at church today. Wish you could have been there." Sunday School Lesson #2 The same Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaritan, in which a man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. She described the situation in vivid detail so her students would catch the drama. Then she asked the class, "If you saw a person lying on the roadside all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?" Jenny, a thoughtful little girl, broke the silence, "I think I'd vomit!" |
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New-Fashioned Salvation For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 In the 1980s, the Smith-Barney company made a series of commercials in which distinguished actor John Houseman spoke the famous line, "We make money the old-fashioned way. We earn it!" Sometime later, based on that commercial, a Christian cartoonist showed some Pharisees arguing with Jesus about salvation. Their punch line? "We get our salvation the old-fashioned way. We earn it!" Those commercials were a success partly because they appealed to something in fallen human nature: the desire to work and pay our own way. The Bible commends that attitude in many respects (2 Thessalonians 3:10), but not when it comes to salvation. The problem with earning our salvation is that we could never do enough. Committing one sin is the same as committing them all. And once a sin is committed, it's like a spoken word—there's no getting it back. The biggest challenge facing the early church was helping Jewish believers set aside law and tradition as a way of earning approval with God. Don't try to be saved the old-fashioned way. Receive salvation the way God offers it through Christ: as a gift of grace through faith. "Today's Turning Point" Back to top |
is unable to be willing and unwilling to be able." W. E. Best |
Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker. If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late. The second mouse gets the cheese. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live. Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty, and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. Back to top |
 FREE Worship Music Online! 3 Formats, All Commercial-Free! Back to top |
For the Children SpongeBob™ Pages to Color Click on an image to open a page for printing it full-size.  ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... Provided by All About Coloring Back to top |
 Book Airfare . . . Reserve a Hotel . . . Rent a Car Tell them you want to support My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry! Christian ministries and churches receive special discounts, too! Back to top |
National Association of Evangelicals United Christian Ministries International Scripture taken from: King James Version (KJV), Copyright © 1990 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. New King James Version (NKJV), Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. New International Version (NIV), Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society World English Bible (WEB), 2001 MT-based public domain update of 1901 American Standard Version (ASV) Copyright © 2007. My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry™. All rights reserved. |
