Monday\\,,,,/’/Ain’t Inspirations(@@)Misbehaving From(,. >.)9/27/2010 Pastor Jeff==n=n===
“But I’ve been good!I work hard and try to do the right thing.So why is this happening to me?”
Have you ever asked that question?Have you ever found yourself struggling over what good it has done to be honest and faithful and yet never seem to be getting ahead?Do you ever ask, “What am I doing wrong to have deserved this?”
In a perfect world we should be able to live a righteous and productive life and expect good results.But we don’t live in a perfect world.We live in a fallen world.Things don’t happen according to the Creator’s original design because creation itself “was subjected to frustration” and is in “bondage to decay.”1*
But we do live in a redeemed world.Our redemption has been accomplished through the cross, even though it has yet to be fully realized until Christ returns.He will make things right.He will restore the rightful order of things.Someday we will enjoy the fruits of our labors without always finding things falling apart around us.
Our hope is not in this world.Our hope is in Christ and in the New Heaven and New Earth which He has prepared for us.So hang in there.He has promised to get us through this.Therefore, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”2
Faith consists of more than just a knowledge that God exists. It also acknowledges that He is good and that we can trust Him to do good to us.As the writer of Hebrews says, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”3
Do you trust Him in this?Can you rely on Him for those things that weigh heavily upon your heart?Take a moment of meditation to consider God’s promises and His loving care as you reflect on these words of comfort which He offers:
Psalm 37:1-9 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-- it leads only to evil.For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
MondayI\/\/\/\/IResistance Inspirations.I-..-.Ito From( o )_( o )Change Pastor_/ '-''-' \__ Jeff//"\\5/10/2010 |\ _______/| \\`-.____.-'// -`/\/\`-. (_.(_//(__) \\_)._) (_(_(_)(_(_)_)
Would you pay me 9 cents for every nickel I gave you?How about spending 2 cents for every penny?It doesn’t make sense does it?Yet that is exactly what you’re spending on each of those coins.It costs the U.S. government (translation: you and I, through taxes) more to produce coins than they are worth.According to Dan Tangherlini, the Treasury Department’s chief financial officer, “making coins from more cost-effective materials could save more than $100 million a year.” 1I don’t know about you, but I think that kind of money could do a lot more good if it were used to help people, rather than in producing overpriced coins.
So, why are coins still produced in this way?Partly because of those who have an interest in the current production materials.Producers of zinc, nickel and copper do not want to lose the business.Then there are collectors who like having more valuable items to collect.Perhaps the only legitimate concern would be for vendors whose coin-operated machines might have to be re-tooled to recognize coins with a different weight value.
Then there is the ever-present human resistance to change.People simply do not like to adapt to change.They fear that they will lose something in the process.They tend to hold onto the familiar, even when that which they hold has no value or is detrimental to their welfare.Women remain in abusive relationships because they fear what would happen if they tried to get out.They need help to make the change.People remain in jobs that make them absolutely miserable because they are afraid of what they would lose if they change.They often need help to switch careers.
The same is true when it comes to our spiritual condition.Conversion is a change which people fear.They are afraid that if they choose to follow Jesus they will have to give up too much.They need help in understanding that what is to be gained in Christ is far more valuable; in fact, anything a person gives up will seem like garbage by comparison. 2Even the methods Christians use to share their faith must change and develop in order to be able to connect with a changing culture. 3
Believers get stuck in their spiritual growth because they get too comfortable and don’t want to endure change.But God has called us into a process that is ever-changing as we learn what it means to be in God’s family and are becoming more like Jesus. 4Believers need other believers to “spur us on toward love and good deeds.” 5
The only constant in our lives is change itself.The only exception is the character of Christ, who “is the same yesterday today and forever.” 6
Change will happen.Either it will happen to us, leaving us able only to react to it, or we can plan for change, and determine the best direction to take.
This week, take a few moments to quietly reflect.Ask “What is God telling me to change in my life?”“How can I prepare for and embrace what God is doing in and through me?”“What is God leading me toward?”
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
1 Wall Street Journal, Monday, May 10, 2010; Vol.CCLV, No.108, p.1).
2Philippians 3:8-9 I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him
31 Corinthians 9:22 I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.
41 Peter 2:5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
They used to call it a “bus man’s holiday.”Although it was never explained to me, I surmise that when the bus man (or driver) got a holiday, he would usually take a bus somewhere. His work became his source of enjoyment.
I will never forget a Sunday early in my ministry, when I was on vacation.We were far from home and tired from travelling.We were staying overnight at a hotel before continuing on our journey.No one would ever know if we had gone to church or not.No one was expecting us.We had heard that there was a church which met right there in the hotel.We had no plans to attend, but when I awoke in the morning, I felt a strong yearning to go to worship.I realized that I needed to meet with God at church.I longed to be with God’s people – even if they were people whom I did not know.I decided to go and, to this day, look back on that as a sweet blessing.Not only was my soul filled with good things that day, but I realized my own personal need for worship and fellowship with the Body of Christ.
I do not worship just because I have to.I worship because I need to; because I want to.Even when I have to do the “work” of preaching on a Sunday, my soul is fed by being in the fellowship of the church and being in God’s presence in worship and adoration.
As I write this, I should be in church.However, we have cancelled services because of a snow storm (my street has not even seen a plow 24 hours later).
Sometimes it is a good thing to be deprived of something or someone just so that we can recognize the empty place it leaves when we don’t have it.When we fast, our senses become more attuned to the smells and tastes of food and we long for it all the more.When we are away from a loved one, their presence becomes more sweet to us.When we survive a life-threatening illness or event, life itself becomes more precious and we learn to be thankful for every moment that we are given on this earth.
On this snowy day, my prayer for you is that you might feel deeply both the vacuum of your soul which longs for God’s presence and the desire for the love of the church family; that both might become precious to you and that you might have a profound sense of thankfulness for these blessings.
Take a moment and not only read, but to lift up the words of David as your own prayer from Psalm 63:
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.1
Consider also the love of the apostle Paul for the believers at Philippi which was such that, even though he was in a distant prison, he continued to think of them, pray for them, encourage them and long to be with them.Today, this will also be my prayer for you:
God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.2
May God watch over you and bless you this day and in the days to come.
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
1Psalm 63:1-5
2Philippians 1:8-11
Monday ,O Superman Inspirations <(s)\/ From . /;I\ 9/21/09 Pastor Jeff I.I.
As I write, the theme song from the TV show “Scrubs” is going through my mind – I’m no Superman. So many people want someone to be a superman for them and solve all of their colossal problems. Christians are no exception.
When a church is searching for a new pastor, they look for someone who has skills in all of their areas of need. They find the person whom they think can “do it all,” and they extend an invitation to come and be their leader, hoping that they can make all things right.
When the new pastor comes, something weird happens. During the interim, when there was no pastor, people from the congregation filled in and did whatever ministries needed doing. When the pastor arrives, they seem to figure, “that’s what we hired him (or her) to do.” Then they stop doing the things which they were doing to make the church run. That is called pastoritis and it is a common disease among churches.
Your pastor is no superman. If you expect him to come in and save you from all wrongs, you are looking for the wrong savior. For there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. *1 He alone is our Savior. He alone is our strength and our salvation.2
The truth of the matter is that if we depend on any one person to “do it all,” the ministries of the church will suffer because the scope of ministry is limited to the capabilities of one person. When that occurs we are functioning outside of God’s divine plan. After all, It was he whogave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 3
You see, the God-given task and mission of pastors and church leaders is not to do all the work, but to equip all the believers so that each one can have a part in the work (so that we are all included and no one is left on the outside looking in!).
Are you aware of a need which should be addressed? Maybe God has brought it to your attention for a reason. What can you do about it?
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.4
You’re the superman! You can do all things through Christ who is your strength.5 So, what are you waiting for?
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 or The New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
1 1 Corinthians 8:6 NIV
2 Isaiah 12:2
3 Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
4 1 Corinthians 12:7 NIV
5 Philippians 4:13
Monday ___\/_Always On Inspirations IIII fromIIIIO5/18/09 Pastor Jeff Io=//o\I _/)) IIIIIIIIIIIIII//.,
Did you know that the average DVR unit uses as much electricity as a refrigerator?Even when it is off, it still draws power; as do televisions, DVD players, phone chargers (even when the phone itself is disconnected), and a host of other electronics.Even though we think that they are off, they are constantly draining energy… and that costs us.(The only way to really shut them off is to unplug them or connect them to a power strip which you can switch off when not in use.)
Our 24/7 culture also comes with a cost.Almost everything in our lives is available at any time, day or night.Nothing rests… including us.More and more people suffer from sleep disorders and nervous conditions.Even our “down time” has distractions which can drain our energy.
One day I sat on one of those long, flat, black rows of seating in an airport terminal with my computer on my lap.I had planned for a long day of uninterrupted writing, since I had arrived from a short flight but would not yet be picked up for several hours.(We live over one-and-a-half hours away from an airport.)Although I was far from home and office, I could hardly believe how many interruptions I encountered.My cell phone rang constantly.Even though I was far away from everything, I was just as distracted as if I were sitting in my office with people coming through and the phone continuously ringing.
We carry our distractions with us wherever we go.Cell phones, Blackberries, email, WiFi and computers make it possible to do our work far from our home base.But they also make it very difficult to get away from work for times of rest.There is such a thing as being “too available.”
Do we ever get time to just think?Do we ever find the free space to just let our imaginations wander freely without being scattered by the next distraction?
In the midst of it all, do we ever become available to God?Do we ever carve out a quiet space where we can hear His voice and sense His peace?Are we able to find a sense of personal wellness and confidence by being in His presence?
E.M. Bounds wrote: “God’s acquaintance is not made hurriedly.He does not bestow His gifts on the casual or hasty comer and goer.To be much alone with God is the secret of knowing Him and of influence with Him.”
The Lord says: "Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV)
This week, take some time away from all the distractions.Take time to dream and imagine.Take time to commune with your Creator.Power off all the distractions and leave them behind for a while.Go somewhere you cannot be found by others.Listen to the voice of God within you.
Isaiah 30:15 NIV This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.
Isaiah 32:17 NIV The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
Philippians 4:6-8 NIV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things.
Monday-------------Peace on InspirationsI~IEarth fromOI\_O_ Pastor JeffII)\O I______((\ OX II, II)\/ I12/22/08 II)\X II,/\ X II,
Imagine that you have a business which you started years ago and developed into a major corporation.Business is thriving and your company is the only one which offers specific products and services.You really love the business and have put your heart and soul into building it.You have created a great work atmosphere where employees feel valued. They love to contribute as a part of the team.
The time comes when you want to retire and travel and just enjoy life.You need some rest and relaxation.So, planning ahead, you hire someone to manage your company in your absence.You take the time to train him so that he will know everything that has made you successful.You even provide a detailed manual to guide him and to let him know exactly what to do and what not to do.This guidebook also leaves enough room for him to add his own creative flair.Then you leave the business in his care and you begin your world travels.
Time goes by.Your new manager ignores the manual you wrote, mocking your experience and does whatever he thinks is best.He demands more and more from the employees and is abusive and demeaning.Morale declines.Business takes a nosedive.Things couldn’t be worse.
So what would you do?Would you fire him and get someone else to take his place?
You think so?
Okay, so what if the new manager is your son, your own child, whom you dearly love?Could you just fire him then?Would you not send messages trying to get him back on the right path?Would you call or email him urging him to use the manual and change his ways?
And if he did not change, then you would fire him, right?
I would guess that before you would do something that drastic, you would come back in person and try to give him every chance to succeed.
Would your son have a right to blame you for the company’s failures at that point?Could he say, “Dad, why did you give me a company where everything goes wrong?”
Whose fault is it that the company is having problems?
Now, here is what I am really getting at:
God has given us his best creation.He has told us how to live and how to get along with one another.But we have ignored the manual and refused to listen to his messages which he sent through prophets and priests.We have gone our own way and messed things up.Then we turn around and ask, “How could God allow so much suffering and starvation and pain in the world?”
The truth of the matter is that God would be completely justified in asking us the same question. 1
After we had ignored all of God’s messages, Christmas happened.He came.He came to make sure we had every opportunity to succeed.He came because he loved us too much to throw us out.
The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."(Luke 2:10-14NIV)
Perhaps the peace which the angel proclaimed is not something that God just enforces among us.Perhaps it is the peace that comes when we allow our hearts to be changed by our encounter with Him, so that we ourselves can bring that peace into the world around us.
This Christmas will you let that peace rule in your heart?And in response, what will you be doing about the suffering of others?About hunger?About those in pain?
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; Christ Memorial Baptist Church, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE 19901.Join us for traditional worship at 8:30am every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at 9:45am.Or, experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration on Sundays at 11:00am.Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting on January 7th at 5:30pm, followed by B.L.A.S.T for elementary school kids or Christian Life Development Center Courses at 6:30 pm.We would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
1 see Francis Chan, Crazy Love, (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2008), p.31.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
The thief who died on the cross next to that of Jesus asked to be remembered by the Lord when He came into His kingdom.Jesus responded with the promise: "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43 NIV)
The thief did nothing to earn his admittance into God’s kingdom.He was unable to do anything to justify being included.There was no time for repentance.He could not turn his life around if he wanted to.Within hours he would be dead.But, at the same time, within hours he would be with the Lord in paradise.
But what might paradise have been like for an undeserving criminal?Would he have had the same reward as Stephen, who died for proclaiming the Gospel and saw a vision of heaven as they were stoning him to death? Would that be fair?Or, is there a lesser version of heaven for those who have not really earned it?
The parable of the workers gives us a clear picture of God’s grace in this matter.A landowner hired workers throughout the day.Some worked from early in the morning through the heat of the day.Others only worked for a few hours.At the end of the day, the landowner paid all the workers the same wage.When those who worked the longest complained, the landowner responded that they received what had been promised to them.Couldn’t he do as he wished with his money?Were they jealous because he was generous?
In the same way, God has promised the joys of heaven to all who will come by faith.The thief on the cross received the same full reward as those who have spent a lifetime of service.Why?Because of God’s generosity.After all, none of us has earned our way into heaven.Whether we have just become a believer or have spent a lifetime walking with God, it still remains true that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)
The full rewards of paradise are presently being enjoyed by the thief, who died on the cross next to Jesus.But while the rewards are the same, the honors and responsibilities will differ according to what we have done.The parable of the talents teaches us that those who have made good use of the resources and talents that God has provided will be entrusted with even greater honors and responsibilities in God’s kingdom.And perhaps we will all be continuously growing into greater potentials as we move into the light of eternity!
In the meantime, let us be faithful with what God has entrusted to us here, as we prepare for eternity.And let us treat each person with equal dignity and respect as we look forward to spending that eternity together with all those who trust in Christ.
Titus 3:4-5 NIV But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 NIV He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; Christ Memorial Baptist Church,
1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE 19901.Join us for traditional worship at 8:30am every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at 9:45am.Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at 11:00am.Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at 5:30pm, followed by Good News Club for kids at 6pm, Youth 4A Purpose at 6:15pm and Adult Bible Study at 6:30pmWe would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
MondayOOOOReputation InspirationsI)\_<(I)V/(I)V(I)>Risk FromI\/=@===@==@==/I Pastor JeffI I./_°__’_`___°__`__/5/12/08 IIIIII
I know a man who risked his reputation by hanging around with people of questionable character.He did this because he wanted the opportunity to let them know that the kingdom of God was near and available to them.He did not make them jump through hoops.He did not require that they “get their act together” before associating with him.He just welcomed them.He did this because he thought that, if anyone needed God’s help to turn their lives around, it was these kinds of people.
Most religious people are only concerned about distancing themselves from immoral people.They protest against those who are involved in abortions.They rail against the evils of homosexuality.They lobby for stronger laws to punish those who don’t live up to the moral code.But they fail to see that more laws won’t change people’s behaviors.Changed hearts will.If all people ever hear is religious anger and rejection, how will they ever know a God who loves them and can change their hearts?Religious people make a mistake if they win the moral argument, but lose the war for men’s souls.
While others rejected immoral people, this man went right into their midst; and talked to them and listened to their stories.He met their needs and touched their lives.And when he shared about a God who welcomed them into His midst with forgiveness and mercy, they believed him.
The “good” people slandered my friend and questioned his morals.They publicly attacked his character.But “good” people don’t seem to attract outsiders into God’s kingdom.They tend to live in closed, protected circles where they do not have to encounter anyone who is not of their own kind.Outsiders only hear the anger and rejection aimed at them.They stay away from churches that are full of “good” people.
Somehow, my friend accepted outsiders with all their faults.And somehow he won their trust.Somehow hearts are changed by the encounter.It is messy.But it is true.
I want to be like my friend.Perhaps you’ve heard of him.His name is Jesus.
Mark 2:16-17 NIV When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Luke 7:33-35 NIV “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
John 1:12 NIV Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; ChristMemorialBaptistChurch, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE19901.Join us for traditional worship at every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at .Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at .Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at , followed by Good News Club for kids at 6pm, Youth 4A Purpose at 6:15pm and Adult Bible Study at 6:30pmWe would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
When I was growing up, my family had a summer house on Cape Cod which my grandfather had built.If you looked in the kitchen cabinets in that house, you would have found a hodge-podge of mismatched dishes and cups, pots and pans.The silverware didn’t match.The furniture was “eclectic.”Even the clothes in our dressers were one step away from going to the Salvation Army.That was because the house was stocked with the leftovers from all of our homes.Rather than throwing out the end of a set, when it was time to replace it, we would bring the remnants to the Cape House.If something was needed, a yard sale would supply an odd piece here or there as well.Since it was a vacation home, the contents were not important.We were not out to impress anyone.We just wanted a place to relax.As long as it served a useful purpose it didn’t matter how it looked.It was all familiar and we loved it.
That mindset works fine for a second home, but is it appropriate to apply to what we give to the Lord?Is it acceptable to have church furnishings which would embarrass us if they were in our homes?Wouldn’t that cause our church members to be embarrassed to bring people with them to church?Would that send a message to the visitor that, like the vacation home, what happens at church is not important?
Exodus 23:19 NIV encourages the Lord’s people to “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.”Why? Because such offerings reflect a heart that puts the Lord first.
Because Cain presented to the Lord an offering of some fruit which was not the first or his best, the Lord rejected him and his offering.1It was not the “stuff” of the offering that was rejected, but the spirit in which it was offered.The Lord didn’t need the offering.He was interested in the devotion it represented; and a half-hearted devotion was unacceptable.
Yes, some offerings are unacceptable to God.Yes, there are some efforts which are not honored by the Lord.And it all has to do with the heart of the giver.
When Solomon built the Temple of the Lord, he did not settle for anything that was “good enough” to suit the purpose.He fulfilled the Lord’s instructions with the finest materials put together by the brightest and best craftsmen.“The temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications.” (1 Kings 6:38 NIV)And when it was done it reflected both the majesty of the Lord and the hearts of the people.
When you walk through your church, does it reflect a wholehearted commitment to God and His work?Is it possible that your church building has an effect on your witness?What is it saying about your love for God?
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; Christ Memorial Baptist Church, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE 19901.Join us for traditional worship at 8:30am every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at 9:45am.Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at 11:00am.Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at 5:30pm, followed by Good News Club for kids at 6pm, Youth 4A Purpose at 6:15pm and Adult Bible Study at 6:30pmWe would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
Monday QLooking for Inspirations-- I))\_, ))``````))Hope Fromi---/i|\ -------------i Pastor Jeff I_/^.`\\__@==@_I4/7/08 XX IL XXXXXXXXX
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes get discouraged about reaching out to those who don’t know the Lord.It can be such a frustrating effort.People just don’t seem to care about spiritual things.They have convinced themselves that God doesn’t exist and that, if He does, they don’t need Him.Even those who come to the church in need tend to just want a quick financial fix. They resent “being preached at” about finding a new life in Jesus.But are people really as they appear?
When he served as Vice President of the United States, the elder George Bush represented the nation at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev’s widow.She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed.Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev’s wife performed an act of courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband’s chest.
There, in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong.She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband.1
Our neighbor may well say, “I don’t need Jesus.I’m doing fine.”But that shouldn’t stop us from sharing the good news.Chances are, most people don’t know much about the Jesus they don’t think they need.And when their godless life style is played out to the end, they are still left clinging to some sign of meaning and hope.
The reason our present culture is “godless” is not because they have heard the truth and rejected it.They have no place in their lives for God because most have never even heard about God at all. Or, what they have heard has been distorted and powerless. “…but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.(1Co.1:23-4 NIV)
This week, let your life and your words convey the truth of Christ so that the world may know that Jesus Christ is Lord and might come to believe and have eternal life in Him.
Psalm 14:1-5 NIV The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.4 Will evildoers never learn-- those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD?5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; ChristMemorialBaptistChurch, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE19901.Join us for traditional worship at every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at .Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at .Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at , followed by Good News Club for kids at 6pm, Youth 4A Purpose at 6:15pm and Adult Bible Study at 6:30pmWe would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you would like to receive these weekly encouragements by email, just forward your email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com and we'll gladly add you to our list.
1Gary Thomas, Christianity Today (10/3/94), cited in Edward K. Rowell, Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching from Leadership Journal, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1997), p.117.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
MondayYouTube It! InspirationsOO __9/13/10 fromII)\, II\., I*vI_ Pastor JeffXIIXII ’’’II’’II
It appears that political candidates are resorting to making zany YouTube videos to get attention from the public.The videos have nothing to do with the content of their campaigns (as if you could get a clear idea on where they stood on issues anyway), they just gain name recognition for the candidate.One candidate poses in a tight tuxedo as James Bond.Another cavorts with Frankenstein.Another has a video with a red-eyed wolf terrorizing a flock of sheep.1
Do people really base their vote on this stuff?Well… not completely.But after one candidate posted a memorable YouTube song-and-dance his two opponents dropped out of the race to leave him unopposed.Contrast that with another race where an opponent quietly raised seven times as much money as a candidate on horseback in a video and defeated him.(videos make an impression, but money speaks volumes!)
Too often, people base their opinions on the wrong things: appearance, beauty, wealth… even YouTube entertainment.But the Lord sees what is in our hearts.
When Israel needed a new king, the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint one of the sons of Jesse whom the Lord had chosen.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD."But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."2
Then Samuel went on to reject each of the sons of Jesse until they finally called the youngest, David, in from tending the flocks.They could not imagine David being in the running. But the Lord had chosen him and Samuel anointed him.His brothers were older, taller, better looking, etc.But the Lord was looking for other qualities in a leader.The Lord sought someone who had character, ability, humility, courage, good sense, etc.
If we want to look for these qualities in the candidates we vote for, could we find them even if we searched through all the available websites and information?Do we even bother looking?Is that not only our civic duty, but also our Christian responsibility?Take time not only to vote, but to vote responsibly.
“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”2
In the meantime, does anyone have any good ideas for a zany YouTube video we can produce about our church? J
Make it a great week!( o )
-- Pastor Jeff Collins_) (_
MondayoB.L.E.S.S. Inspirations'\ Iyour from/_,Neighbor! Pastor Jeff5/3/2010
Reaching the lost (those who don’t know Jesus) is something that God calls every one of His followers to do.The trouble is… (Can we talk?) that scares most of us to death!When we recognize that God is the main worker in reaching the lost, it can take some of the pressure off of us.The most fitting response, then, is to pray for people around us who do not know the Lord.Then we can also respond as God moves and empowers us through prayer.
While the real work of drawing people to Christ can only be done by God, we also have a part to play.As we love our neighbors, being helpful and supportive, we plant a seed of preparation.As we live godly lives, we water that seed.It is fertilized by our prayers. It is revealed by our words.But only God can make it grow.
Are you praying for your neighbors?For your co-workers?Unsaved family members?
I would like to pass along a very measurable goal, to guide you in praying for your neighbors and friends.It actually comes from the Lighthouse Movement by Mission India. They found that in rural areas of India they were more effective in planting the Gospel by praying in one house and asking God to bless it.Then, when God started answering the prayers for that one house, others wanted to find out what was going on there and were also attracted to the Gospel!You see, people were attracted to what God was doing, not what Christians were doing.And they knew that it was real.
Will you let God work through you?
Here is the challenge:
Pray for FIVE of your neighbors (co-workers, school-mates, etc)
For FIVE minutes a day
FIVE days a week
For FIVE weeks
Ask God to B.L.E.S.S. them FIVE ways…
B - Body: Pray for their health, protection, and strength.
L - Labor: Pray for their work, income, and security.
E - Emotional: Pray that God will fill them with joy, peace, and hope.
S - Social: Pray for them regarding love, marriage, family, and friends.
S - Spiritual: Pray for their salvation, faith, and to be touched by God’s grace.
These Five things are easy to remember.Memorize them or write them on a card that you can carry in your pocket or tape to your refrigerator.
If the opportunity arises, let them know that you are praying for them and ask if there are any specific prayer requests you can lift up on their behalf.Invite them to come to your home or out for a cup of coffee some time.In time, invite them to church.Trust in the Lord.Pray for people. And watch how God draws people to himself.
Colossians 4:3-6 NIV And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
A few years ago our church added a large education wing onto our building.As soon as it was opened we were blessed by having a Christian school lease the space.The rental income made the mortgage payments on the building, adding a significant amount of money to the church’s budget.
This summer, because the school’s enrollment was down, they decided not to renew their lease.Add to this the state of the economy and you can understand why a number of members are concerned.(They are not “worried,” mind you, because Jesus told us not to worry since God can provide for us and will answer our prayers.They are only “concerned.”*1)
We are already significantly behind in our budget.What if we run out of money?What if we cannot pay the mortgage?What if we cannot pay salaries?How can we raise more funds (that is, How can we take care of this problem in our own power?)?Will we be okay?
Well… Will we be okay?
Choose the crisis.Almost every church has one (or more).If yours does not, hold onto this information because you will before long.
Will we be okay?
The answer is “NO!”(Yep, you heard me correctly.That was not a typo.)The answer is “NO… WE WILL NOT BE OKAY.We will not be able to maintain ‘status quo’ with everything going on with business as usual.We will not be the same after this.We will either become a dying church, struggling through the spasms and gasps of not knowing when to quit and showing no real signs of life; OR we will see this as a call to action and dig in with determination to fulfill the vital and urgent mission which we have been given.
What if – when, in the past, we have prayed and asked God to help us grow and reach the community around us for Christ – the Father really heard our prayers and took away our excuses?What if God said, “Okay, you want to grow?I will open up a huge space in your own building so that you will have room for all the people who will come.”What if God said, “You have gotten too comfortable with your regular workers and your budget.I am going to squeeze you now so that you have to include more people in the work and in the giving”?
When we had a school using our building, it was full.We did not have to do anything to fill it ourselves.Our budget was padded and we did not have to reach out to others to bring them into the Kingdom or to allow others to share in the ministries with us.
Now there is no excuse.We cannot ride the wave of comfort any longer.
What excuses are you holding onto?What would God have to change to get you to move; to act on your faith?
It does not really matter what I do (or what your pastor does) in response.I am going, to the best of my ability, to continue to encourage and empower the church to grow and attract people to new life in Christ.I plan to make disciples and to impact the community for Christ.That is what I am called to do.But if I go on ahead and no one follows, I am not leading.I am only taking a walk!
What matters is what you do… Yes YOU! You who are sitting at your computer reading this.Will you tell others about your church and about what Jesus has done for you?Will you invite people to church?Will you include them in your church family and encourage them to actively participate and grow?Will you help others in your community in the name of Christ?Will you live differently from those around you so that Christ’s light can shine through you?
CMBC CHURCH ADDENDUM: I have seen what you did at the recent yard sale: welcoming people and interacting with them; giving out church business cards and Bibles and inviting people to church.I have seen you welcome the stranger at church.I have seen you including others in your ministries and outreach – even before they were “proven” or made “official.”I have seen you meeting needs for “outsiders” as you live out the love of Christ in the community.I know that you have the potential to grow.I know that you have a heart for Christ.I believe in you.Your aspirations have never been to “survive comfortably,” but to grow and someday build a new sanctuary to accommodate that growth.Don’t hide your light under a basket.Let it shine!Do not let the current “crisis” discourage you.
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”2
Joshua 1:9 NIV “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
1 Matthew 6:31-34.
2Jeremiah 29:11-13NIV
Monday Q_ O _O.QThe Inspirations/))_/()\((\((\Stranger FromI\/ \/ \I\ Pastor Jeff I.I. II.III.I.3/30/09
I am new here.I really do not know many people.I am a stranger.
I walk into a crowd of people.They are clumped in groups, familiar and chatting.Old friends seem pleased to see one another.They are comfortable together.
I am invisible.I feel awkward.I long for the familiarity of my former home.I long to be known.I yearn for the past when I would approach a group and people would turn and call out to me and I would be absorbed into their circle.
I am alone here.As I approach, people glance to see who is coming.Then they turn back toward their friends and I no longer exist for them.
Don’t they see that I am important?Don’t they know that – in other places, among other people – I am valued and loved too?
I am nobody.I am nothing.I am a stranger.
I am not describing someone else.I am describing myself.Out in the community in which I have lived for a year-and-a-half I am virtually non-existent.There are none of the friends that I grew up with.There are none of the colleagues with whom I forged deep ties in the past.I go to sporting or school events for my kids and I’m just a lump on the sidelines among circles of old friends; an unknown.Such feelings make me want to avoid being in places like that.
In my church, however, I am known and valued.I have a connection with each person and a sense of belonging.Of course, I am the Pastor.So, in some ways, I had an automatic “in” from the beginning.But every week there are people who enter the church who come in feeling like the stranger I described above.They feel awkward and invisible.They don’t want to intrude, but they yearn to be included; known, valued and loved.
You can help them.In fact, without you they will slip away convinced that there is no place for them in God’s family.Unless every person makes it a point to welcome new people into our midst, strangers will not stick around long enough to find out about God’s love for them.(After all, if God’s people don’t love them, why would they imagine that God might love them?)Hebrews 13:2 NIV tells us: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”
When you see new people (in the church or in the community; it doesn’t matter… you represent Christ in either place) make it a point to welcome them.Introduce yourself.Ask their name.Ask them what they do.Have they lived here long?Are they new in the community?What brought them there?
Then do not stop there.Bring them into your circle.Find someone else nearby or bring them to someone else who might be of the same age or share a common interest and also introduce them.Integrate them into the fabric of God’s family.
The first step to belonging is knowing that someone cares whether you belong or not.It is knowing that you matter to someone.
Welcome the stranger.You might find that they are angels.But you definitely willfind that when you welcome the stranger you have welcomed Jesus himself.
Matthew 25:44-45NIV "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Leviticus 19:34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; ChristMemorialBaptistChurch, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE19901.Join us for traditional worship at every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at .Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at .Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner at 5:30pm ($3/ea., $15 max/family, 1st time guests free), followed by Good News Club for kids in grades 1-5, Youth Group for grades 6-12 and Christian Life Development Center (CLDC) courses for adults at 6:15pm.We would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
Monday,\.n\////.Warranty Inspirations///’II/~ ) FromII/@* _\12/15/08 Pastor Jeff\‘ _< II
My stereo headphones do not work anymore.Whether or not I will get any sound depends on what position the cord is in.But… Not to worry!I had a lifetime warranty on them.
Then I read the warranty.They will replace them anytime if they fail to perform… All I have to do is to send the old pair back with a check for $8.00… Wait a minute!I only paid $4.49 for them (okay, so they were cheap).So much for a lifetime warranty!
It was not the first warranty to disappoint me.I once bought this wonderful garden hose that was supposed to stay supple and flexible and the lifetime warranty said that it would never kink or fail.As you can probably guess, it kinked.The warranty required that I cut off both ends of the hose and send them to the company for replacement.I did so and never heard from the company again.I was out the postage and now had a completely useless hose.
A promise is only as good as the one who makes it or the language which defines it.
At Christmas, we celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promises in the sending of His Son, Jesus, to restore us to a right relationship with God.As the Bible tells us (Mt.1:21-23NIV)She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
In Jesus Christ, God has taken away our sins and He promises eternal life to all who follow Him.Jesus is both the fulfillment of the promises and the assurance of promises yet to come.For, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.(Heb. 9:28NIV)
God has given us His Word and that Word is sure, for God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.(1Co.1:9NIV)For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ.(2Co.1:20NIV)
That is a lifetime warranty you can count on.God has redeemed us for eternity through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(2Co.5:5NIV)
As Adoniram Judson, missionary to Burma, was known to say, “the future is as bright as the promises of God.”
2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; Christ Memorial Baptist Church, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE 19901.Join us for traditional worship at 8:30am every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at 9:45am.Or, experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration on Sundays at 11:00am.Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at 5:30pm, followed by B.L.A.S.T for elementary school kids or Christian Life Development Center Courses, starting again on January 14th at 6:30 pm.We would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
Monday Inspirations __) Fromo__o,_I n \__ Pastor Jeff ~~~~/))\/~~\~./ ~~~~~~/ Holding onto Hope August 11, 2008
On the morning of July 4, 1952 the California coast was shrouded in fog.Twenty-one miles to the west, on Catalina Island, a thirty-four-year-old woman waded into the water and began swimming toward California, determined to be the first woman to ever swim the twenty-one-mile strait.
Her name was Florence Chadwick, and she had already been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.
The water was numbing cold that morning, and the fog was so thick that Chadwick could hardly see the boats in her own party – there to scare away the sharks.As the hours ticked off, she swam on.Fatigue had never been a serious problem, it was only the bone-chilling cold of the water that was threatening.More than fifteen hours later, numbed with the cold, the swimmer asked to be taken out.She couldn’t go on any longer.Her mother and her trainer, in a boat alongside her, urged Chadwick to go on, as they were getting close to shore.Yet all she could see was dense fog.
A few minutes later, the swimmer was taken out of the water, and later, realizing that she had been within a half-mile of the shore, she blurted out, “I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the shore, I might have made it.”
Hebrews 11:1 NIV tells us that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”Florence Chadwick hoped to reach the shore, but could not bring herself to believe it was close by and attainable, even though she was only a half mile away.
How often do we lose faith and get discouraged in this life?How often do we lose sight of our hope in Christ and in God’s promises of abundant life, casting off God’s commands and giving in to temporary pleasures instead?
Paul would remind us that “we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7 NIV)He encourages us to press on, holding close to the path God has laid out for us and believing that it leads to the ultimate good.“Let us not become weary in doing good,” he says “for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal.6:9 NIV)
When things are looking dark and it seems like everything is falling in around you, press on!God has promised to get you through it.He has promised to bless you.And He promises to get you home safely.So… Make it a great week!
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
James 1:12NIV Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; ChristMemorialBaptistChurch, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE19901.Join us for traditional worship at every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at .Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at .Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at , followed by Good News Club for kids at 6pm, Youth 4A Purpose at 6:15pm and Adult Bible Study at 6:30pmWe would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
I’m currently reading a book entitled “Un-Christian”1 based on research by the Barna Group on how “outsiders,” that is those who do not belong to the church, perceive the church.What they say is challenging; especially when we consider that most outsiders have come to their conclusions through experiences they had while they were in the church.I’m going to print this with a warning: You’re not going to like it!
Mosaics and Busters [The younger generations] are the ultimate “conversation generations.”They want to discuss, debate, and question everything.This can either be a source of frustration or an interest we use to facilitate new and lasting levels of spiritual depth in young people.Young outsiders want to have discussions, but they perceive Christians as unwilling to engage in genuine dialog.They think of conversations as “persuasion” sessions, in which the Christian downloads as many arguments as possible…2
Outsiders say that Christians possess bark – and bite.Christians may not normally operate in attack mode, but it happens frequently enough that others have learned to watch their step around us…3
Outsiders [said] that the underlying concern of Christians often seems more about being right than about listening.There is an undercurrent of arrogance that outsiders perceive.This raises the implication that even the “correct” answers, if expressed in an unchristian way, are totally out of tune with a skeptical generation.4
Outsiders are convinced that Christians really don’t care about them.We just want to sell them something and are not concerned about who they are or what they think or feel.We’ve blasted them with “answers” and thumped them with our Bibles, but we’ve lost the right to be heard.We’ve made a lot of noise, but have ended up sounding like “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” because as far as they are concerned, we have not loved them.5And what did Jesus say would be the sign to the world that we are his disciples?Was it not by the way we “love one another?” 6
We could almost let ourselves off the hook, by saying that outsiders are not included in the Great Commandment to “love one another,” except for the fact that three out of ten of those surveyed had negative experiences in churches and with Christians.In other words, they came “inside” and could not find love.
One Outsider put it this way: “Most people I meet assume that “Christian” means very conservative, entrenched in their thinking, antigay, anti-choice, angry, violent, illogical, empire builders; they want to convert everyone, and they generally cannot live peacefully with anyone who doesn’t believe what they believe.”7
Ouch!
What can we do, as a church, to change these perceptions and re-establish the validity of our witness?What can you do?What can you do today?
John 13:34-35 NIV "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Romans 12:18 NIV If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; ChristMemorialBaptistChurch, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE19901.Join us for traditional worship at every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at .Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at .Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at , followed by Good News Club for kids at 6pm, Youth 4A Purpose at 6:15pm and Adult Bible Study at 6:30pmWe would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.Also, if you're just getting too much email and would rather not receive these messages, simply let us know that we should take your address off our list.
1 David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007).
2 ibid.p.33.
3 ibid. p.26.
4 ibid.p.33.
51 Corinthians 13:1 NIV
6 John 13:35 NIV
7UnChristian, p.26.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
Jeff, I think this piece deserves a couple of follow-up pieces on "being Christians" among "spiritually burnt" people. That might help folk become more self aware, perhaps repentant, and care-motivated in their witness.
After I responded to you and check a couple fo other e-mails this morning, I sat down in the living room for a few minutes of Bible reading and prayer. It happened that my next reading (I am reading through the Gospels a little bit at a time) was Luke 6:39ff. I read to the end of the chapter. It was so much in line with your Monday Inspiration. The part about the beam and the mote fit neatly into what you wrote. And the part that struck me was 6:48 where Jesus spoke of the wise man who "digged deep" and laid his foundation on rock. It occurred to me that a part of that "digging deep" is the soul searching we need to do so that we are genuinely like the Master we are proclaiming to others. This takes us back to Luke 6:40.
Just to balance out the equation, we should remember Christ's response as to how His ministry was perceived or rather misperceived. Matthew 11:16: But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Sinners want God to dance to their tune or be concerned with their concerns. They are not really interested in hearing what God has to say. Every Christian should remember that Christ's words, the truth of God, was rejected by many. Certainly, He could not be accused of not loving them enough.
It's good advice to be loving in our approach but some have compromised the Gospel to avoid the charge of being nonloving. Let us strive for balance in a world that is hostile to the Gospel and its messengers. Most of all, let us keep preaching the Gospel! It's amazing how the POWER of the Gospel is able to overcome the deficiencies of the messengers! Phillipians :1:15Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Thank you for the kind words. However, I think we can bring things into perspective by realizing that some Christians will remain in the baby state all their lives no metter how many opportunities are presented to them to mature. In the Old Testament we have Lot as one such example. Yet Peter calls him a righteous man in 2 Peter and even Godly!
In the NT we have the Corinthians, some of whom didn't even do communion correctly! This is not to endorse sinful neglect of the means of grace. It is to simply acknowledge the fact of the spiritual condition of many. I believe it is still better to be a Christian even if it means being a poor one.
Those of us who please the flesh rather than follow the Spirit will be dealt with at the Judgment seat of Christ. Many will "suffer loss of reward" and will no doubt weep over lost opportunities to serve Christ on earth. Others will be rewarded, perhaps even having less spiritual resources in their earthly lives than others. Yet salvation by grace alone, being the foundation of eternal salvation, will not be frustrated or forfieted. That's because He is faithful to His promise always.
So I don't think we should slack off on trying to evangelize unto salvation because some might not mature to the glory of God. In my many years, I have seen all kinds of factors pin-pointed as the cause of "weakness" in the church. I believe the truth is that a DESIRE to grow is the major impetus in pursuing (with varying degrees of success) maturity, to His glory. Key in all of this is a proper understanding of the "Word of grace".
God bless, dear brother, Dennis
Monday---,o ,i=====iAmerican Inspirations\_\ \/___,,I \_O,IIdols from\_\==== I((I\_I Pastor JeffX XXX4/14/08
It sounds strange to us that ancient peoples would worship idols that they made out of wood or stone or metal.How could anyone be that naďve?After they had shaped and polished it, did they expect it to come to life and start talking to them or answering their prayers?Sorry Pinocchio, real boys aren’t made out of wood.And a real God isn’t something we create.Either God exists or He doesn’t, but to bow down and serve inanimate objects just doesn’t make sense.
Of course, we are much too sophisticated to do anything like that today … or are we?
When we worship something, we make it the primary focus of our devotion.We wrap our lives around it.We submit ourselves to it and serve it.
While we may not make little statues to worship like the ancients did, there are other inanimate objects in our lives which can also demand that kind of “loyalty” from us.
Some people wrap their lives around food.Instead of eating to live, they live to eat.They find their comfort and security in a full belly.Perhaps this is why the discipline of fasting came into being.It is a way of denying ourselves for a period of time in order to refocus our devotion on the Lord.It is a reminder that there is more to life than physical pleasure. Fasting redirects our hunger into a longing for God’s presence.
Some people wrap their lives around the television and other forms of electronic entertainment.These dictate their schedules and take priority over any real relationships with other people, or with God.
Have you ever found yourself avoiding people because “your show is on?”Do you schedule meetings in such a way as to avoid the time of your favorite program?Do you tell people to “be quiet” when you are watching a movie because you would rather hear the story in the movie than to live out your own story with the people around you?
I often find kids spending more time connecting in cyberspace than they do playing together.They used to talk to each other, but they now “do their own thing” with headphones or gameboys.They may be in the same place, but they are not together.Could this be considered a form of worship?Maybe electronic “fasting” should become a regular spiritual discipline in the age in which we live.
This week, take note of the way that you spend your time and consider what that reflects about your practice of worship.
1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV "Everything is permissible for me"-- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-- but I will not be mastered by anything.
Jeremiah 2:27-28 NIV They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!'28 Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.
Psalm 115:3-8 NIV Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see;6 they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell;7 they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
Deuteronomy 4:39 NIV Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.
Isaiah 42:8 NIV “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.”
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; Christ Memorial Baptist Church,
1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE 19901.Join us for traditional worship at 8:30am every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at 9:45am.Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at 11:00am.Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at 5:30pm, followed by Good News Club for kids at 6pm, Youth 4A Purpose at 6:15pm and Adult Bible Study at 6:30pmWe would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you know someone who would like to receive these encouragements, just forward their email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
MondayQnShepherd’s Voice Inspirations./))\_/ From*(((0)@/I/*(((0)@ Pastor Jeff/\/\/ I //\/\3/31/08
During World War I, some Turkish soldiers tried to steal a flock of sheep from a hillside near Jerusalem.The shepherd, who had been sleeping, suddenly awakened to see his sheep being driven off on the other side of the ravine.He could not hope to recapture his flock by force single-handedly, but suddenly he had a thought.Standing up on his side of the ravine, he put his hands to his mouth and gave his own peculiar call, which he used each day to gather his sheep to him.The sheep heard the familiar sound.For a moment they listened and then, hearing it again, they turned and rushed down one side of the ravine and up the other toward their shepherd.It was quite impossible for the soldiers to stop the animals.The shepherd was away with them to a place of safety before the soldiers could make up their minds to pursue them – and all because his sheep knew their master’s voice. 1
We also have a shepherd who watches over us and keeps us in His care.Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-- and I lay down my life for the sheep… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” (*Jn 10:14-15, 27-28 NIV)
This morning, let me ask you: Do you know your Shepherd’s voice?When you hear Him calling, when his words reach out to you, can you say, “That’s my Shepherd?”Are you walking in the direction of His call today?
John 10:10-11 NIV “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Isaiah 53:6 NIV We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
We hope that you find these Monday Inspirations both challenging and uplifting.These messages are a ministry of Rev. Jeffrey A. Collins, Pastor; ChristMemorialBaptistChurch, 1160 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, DE19901.Join us for traditional worship at every Sunday, followed by Sunday School at .Or experience an upbeat, contemporary worship celebration at .Youth meet on Sundays from .Also join us on Wednesdays for dinner, starting at , followed by Bible Study and a “Gateway” program for Youth and children.We would love to hear from you or have you visit us at any time!
Let us know how God has used these messages in your life. WE DEPEND ON YOU TO PASS THESE MESSAGES ALONG!If you would like to receive these weekly email encouragements, just forward your email address to us at rev.j.collins@juno.com and we'll add you to our list
[1] Michael P. Green, Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1989), p.420, #1535.
* All Scripture is from The New International Version (NIV), (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984 orThe New Living Translation (NLT), (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.
