Life Is A Gift
When I was 8 years old, a classmate died. At the funeral service I pictured him "safe in the arms of Jesus." This comforted me and made death less fearsome.
Drive The Pipe Deeper
During Bill Leslie's ministry as pastor of LaSalle Street Church in Chicago, there was a difficult period when he felt as if his soul was becoming a desert. His people were making so many demands that he was becoming spiritually drained.
The Wrong Example
In his book Out Of My Mind, Joe Bayly told of a pastor friend who had three sons. When two of them began to stutter, he took them to a speech therapist. After evaluation the counselor spoke to the pastor and bluntly told him that it was his own neglect that was responsible for the speech defect.
Lasting Nourishment
Do you remember what your pastor spoke about 8 weeks ago? Probably not. After all, it's been a while. But does that mean it wasn't a valuable message or that it was a waste of your time to hear God's Word being preached?
Be True To Your Word
Shortly before his death, the Duke of Burgundy was presiding over the Cabinet Council of France. A proposal was made that would violate an existing treaty but would secure important advantages for the country. Many "good" reasons were offered to justify this action. The Duke listened in silence. When all had spoken, he closed the conference without giving approval. Placing his hand on a copy of the original agreement, he said with firmness in his voice, "Gentlemen, we have a treaty!"
