It is usually not difficult to love close friends and family members. And it's usually not tough to show a bit of compassion to desperate, pitiable people in crisis. But what about mean people or heartless enemies? What about loving the very people who have hurt and wronged you?
That's the unexpected power of the gospel of Christ. When Jesus invades our lives, he replaces (if we allow Him) our natural tendencies toward bitterness and revenge with the unnatural (supernatural) ability to treat others with mercy and grace. This is how Jesus lived. So when He lives within us, it is how we can and should live.

When we share out faith, we are in a win/win situation. If people accept what we say, we win. If we plant the seed of God's Word, we win; and even if we are rejected, we win. This is because the Bible says that when that happens, the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. When we contend for the faith and are rejected, we are to rejoice and leap for joy, for great is our reward in heaven (Luke 6:22,23). It is a winning situation every single time that you share your faith!
Mark Cahill

James 1:19 Let us always be quick to hear and slow to speak. I am guilty of this more often then I would like to admit. I am the type of person that needs a little time to consider my words and my choices. When possible it is always best to wait on God. Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

And now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, you can not overthrow it; lest haply you be found even to fight against God. Acts 5: 38-39

We must listen for God's still small voice. 1 Kings 19: 12, and let God be God!

Fliterary: Trailer Talk Tuesday -- Dave Moore

Fliterary: Trailer Talk Tuesday -- Dave Moore: Howdy, friends! Our blog post auto function isn't working, so please forgive this late installment of Book Trailer Talk Tuesday The...

The Parable of the Fishless Fisherman

Fellowship. They were surrounded by streams and lakes full of hungry fish. They met regularly to discuss the call to fish, the abundance of fish, and the thrill of catching fish.They got excited about fishing.

Someone suggested that they needed a philosophy of fishing, so they carefully defined and redefined fishing, and the purpose of fishing. They developed fishing strategies and tactics. Then they realized that they had been going at it backwards. They had approached fishing from the point of view of the fisherman, and not from the point of view of the fish. How do fish view the world? How does the fisherman appear to the fish? What do fish eat, and when? These are all good things to know. So they began research studies, and attended conferences on fishing. Some traveled to faraway places to study different kinds of fish with different habits. Some got doctorates in fishology. But no one had yet gone fishing.

So a committee was formed to send out fishermen. As prospective fishing places outnumbered fishermen, the committee needed to determine priorities. A priority list of fishing places was posted on bulletin boards in all of the fellowship halls. But still, no one was fishing. A survey was launched to find out why. Most did not answer the survey, but from those who did, it was discovered that some felt called to study fish, a few to furnish fishing equipment, and several to go around encouraging the fishermen. What with meetings, conferences, and seminars, they just simply didn't have time to fish.

Now, Jake was a newcomer to the Fisherman's Fellowship. After one stirring meeting of the Fellowship, he went fishing and caught a large fish. At the next meeting, he told his story and was honored for his catch. He was told that he had a special "gift of fishing." He was then scheduled to speak at all the Fellowship chapters and tell how he did it.

With all the speaking invitations and his election to the board of directors of the Fisherman's Fellowship, Jake no longer had time to go fishing. But soon he began to feel restless and empty. He longed to feel the tug on the line once again. So he cut the speaking, he resigned from the board, and he said to a friend, "Let's go fishing." They did, just the two of them, and they caught fish. The members of the Fisherman's Fellowship were many, the fish were plentiful, but the fishers were few.
Anonymous

From the Evidence Bible

A vast multitude of faces encircles the exalted Christ. The white robed crowd is composed of representatives from every nation, tribe, people, and language on earth. They're shouting praises at the top of their lungs. At the same time, mighty angels and other mysterious onlookers are falling on their faces in worship.
If these are the worship practices of those with the clearest view of Christ, how should we alter the way we give praise to the Lord here and now?
Revelation 7:9

All the nations will be gathered in His Presence, and He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at His right hand and the goats at His left. Then the King will say to those on the right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Matthew 25: 32-34

He will send forth His angels with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast, and they will gather together His chosen ones from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
Matthew 24:31