THE OVERFLOW

POWERFUL QUOTE

2010-06-14T19:53:00.003-04:00

“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

Adrian Rogers (1931–2005)
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JOB OR MINISTRY

2010-06-12T06:59:00.001-04:00

James N. Spurgeon wrote:

"A job is at your choice; a ministry is at Christ's call. In a job you expect to receive; in a ministry you expect to give. In a job you give something to get something; in a ministry you return something that has already been given to you. A job depends on your abilities; a ministry depends on your availability to God. A job done well brings you praise; a ministry done well brings honour to Christ."

THE VALUE OF PRAYER IN THE HOME

2010-05-06T08:34:00.005-04:00

On this Mother's Day weekend it is good to focus on the family. We need more Christian homes in America today. Please take time to read the two passages below.

Here's what President Ronald Reagan wrote from the White House during his administration:
The family has always been the cornerstone of American society. Our families nurture, preserve, and pass on to each succeeding generation the values we share and cherish, values that are the foundation for our freedoms. In the family, we learn our first lessons of God and man, love and discipline, rights and responsibilities, human dignity and human frailty.
Our families give us daily examples of these lessons being put into practice. In raising and instructing our children, in providing personal and compassionate care for the elderly, in maintaining the spiritual strength and religious commitment among our people - in these and other ways, America's families make immeasurable contributions to America's well-being.
Today more than ever, it is essential that these contributions not be taken for granted and that each of us remember that the strength of our families is vital to the strength of our nation.

Here's what E.M. Bounds wrote in "Power and Praying Men"

Samuel knew God in boyhood. As a consequence he knew God in manhood. He recognized God in childhood, obeyed him and prayed unto him. The result was that he recognized God in manhood, obeyed him, and prayed unto him. If more children were born of praying mothers, brought up in direct contact with “the house of prayer,” and reared under prayer environments, more children would hear the voice of God’s spirit speaking to them, and would more quickly respond to those divine calls to a religious life. Would we have praying men in our churches? We must have praying mothers to give them birth, praying homes to color their lives, and praying surroundings to impress their minds and to lay the foundations for praying lives. Praying Samuels come from praying Hannahs. Praying priests come from “the house of prayer.” Praying leaders come from praying homes.

A Christian culture will stem from Christian homes. Godly, praying leaders will come from praying homes.
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THE CHRISTIAN ATHEIST

2010-05-05T13:55:00.006-04:00

I just started reading a book by Graig Groeshel entitled: "The Christian Atheist - Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn't Exist"

Titus 1:16 reads, "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for anything good."

I want my life to be open to the absolute truth of God's Word. Books like this cause us to take a candid and honest look how our walk might be contradicting our talk. Are you willing to examine your Christian walk to see if it truly matches up with the Bible?

Groeschel hits the bulls eye with this powerful book. Many who call themselves Christians today are living like there is no God. In fact, I agree that Christian atheism is a fast spreading spiritual pandemic. There are too many professing Christians today who claim to know God, but deny Him by how they live day by day.

According to the Bible, those who truly know and love Jesus Christ will show it by keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3-4; John 14:15). Jesus said, "You will know a tree by its fruit" (Mt 12:33). The truth is, to live an unconverted life most likely proves that you are in fact unconverted.

Many people have a false hope of going to heaven. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Mt 7:21) It breaks my heart to understand that "many" will hear Jesus say, "I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness." (Mt 7:23)

Are you a Christian atheist? Do you profess to know God and be a Christian but deny God by how you live your life day by day? If you call yourself a Christian but live like a non-Christian there is a serious disconnect somewhere. If I were you I'd get this figured out and corrected as soon as possible. Get in God's Word. Seek spiritual guidance. Pray until you find the answer.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

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MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

2010-03-22T09:54:00.002-04:00

Gary Cooper was offered an acting part many years ago. He turned it down after reading the script saying that the movie would be a flop and he wanted nothing to do with it. Clark Cable accepted the part of Rhett Butler in “Gone With The Wind.” The rest is history.

We must be careful in our rejection of opportunities that come our way. Yesterday I preached from Luke 14:16-33 - "The Banquet Invitation" Jesus invites us to a glorious banquet! There are many invitations found in Scripture. The sad fact is, just like in the parable of the banquet invitation, most people make excuses and refuse to come when Christ calls.

God has a wonderful plan and purpose for your life. He invites you to partner with Him in the work that He is doing. You just need to be available when He calls. What is God calling you to do? Don't miss the opportunity. Go back and read the parable again. If you don't respond God will pass you by and call someone else.
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TITHE RAP

2010-02-22T06:29:00.002-05:00

EVERYBODY IS SOMEBODY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

2010-01-11T10:16:00.001-05:00

The church is the body of Christ. We are His living presence here on earth. The church is the visible presence of Christ. We are His hands of service, eyes of compassion, and heart of love. Jesus lives in us and works through us.

Jesus promised to send His Spirit to empower the church. He said, "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me" (Acts 1:8) He said, "He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do." (John 14:12) Jesus said that believers would be witnesses to Him and do greater works that He did. GREATER WORKS! I believe that Jesus is referring to the collective body of believers when He speaks of greater works (greater in scope not greater in kind).

The body of Christ consist of many members (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:27). All believers are joined to the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). All believers are gifted by Christ to serve within the body (Romans 12:6-8; Eph. 4:7-8; 1 Corinthians 12:18).

For the church to be healthy and strong all members of the body must work together as a team. I love team sports. Paul used sports analogies a lot in his writings. Sports teams that rise to the top and win championships are teams that work together. Every person on the teams knows his responsibility and shows up to play in every game. You don’t miss practices. You don’t miss team meetings. You certainly do not miss games. You belong to a team!

According to Ephesians 4:16 every believer is vital to the life and work of the body. The body is joined together by what each member supplies. The body is healthy only when every member does his share. This makes us interdependent. Paul wrote that we are members of one another. One of the greatest truths about spiritual gifts is that they make us interdependent. The church is not a few people. It is not built upon the gifts of a few. Everyone has a gift and therefore the church is only as strong as our commitment to do what God has gifted us and called us to do.

I’ve heard people say: “I don’t need anyone else to live the Christian life.” or “I don’t need to belong to the church or be a church member to live the Christian life.” Many people have declared their independence from the church! Well, if the church is like a human body, what happens if one of the members is severed? The answer is simple: IT DIES! If a member of my body is severed, it dies and my body is left with a void and because of the missing member my body is incomplete. The same is true of the church body. If a member separates itself from the body death occurs and the body is left with a void. A severed member will dry up and die spiritually if it becomes separated from the body life of the church.

What kind of church would my church be if all its members were just like me? How would the attendance be if every member attended like I do? Sunday morning? Sunday evening? Bible Fellowship hour? Wednesday? What would the offering be if all members gave like I give? How many souls would be won to Jesus if all church members witnessed like I do? What would the community think about the church if all the members of the church lived like me?

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