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 In the twelfth chapter of
Numbers we read that “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of
the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he
not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it”.
As the leader of the masses out of Egypt, Moses endured far more
criticism than he deserved. In Numbers 14, we read how God sent a whole
bunch of people to die in the desert because of their incessant
complaining. When Moses’ own family picked up the sour song, God came
to Moses’ defense. To Miriam and Aaron, He said, “Why then were
you not afraid to speak against My servant, Moses? So the anger of the Lord
burned against them.” (Numbers 12:8) In other words, “Just who
do you think you are criticizing Moses like that?”
Notice God’s deep feelings. He didn’t wait for their
explanations. And they didn’t wait long for the consequences. God
just said, “Enough!” He hates it when we dwell on the perceived
faults of another with no view to their good.
You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to feel God’s heat in
this true account. He considers criticism a sin and He won’t tolerate
it. Obviously, we want to soften that judgment and call criticism a
weakness or a bad habit or poor people skills. While criticism is all that,
it’s also a whole lot more.
If you have a critical attitude toward someone, you are hindering your
fellowship with God!
He hears that bitter spirit come out in your words and wants nothing to
do with it. Makes you wonder, if your spiritual life feels like a
wilderness right now – dry, cheerless, and joyless – maybe
it’s because you’ve allowed a critical attitude to creep in.
It’s a choice that not only injures your horizontal relationship with
others, but also your vertical relationship with God.
It’s your choice! When He says, “Don’t!” what He
really means is, “Don’t hurt yourself!” When God says,
“Don’t criticize,” it’s not because He wants to deprive
us of some satisfactory experience. He is actually saying, “That goes
against the nature of who I have made you to be.”
Fish were made to swim. Birds were made to fly. People were made to live
in fellowship with God. When we criticize others, we break that fellowship
with God. We hinder our own joy, and our life becomes like a wilderness.
Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS,
Volume 8.06. Live for God, on purpose, learning
to live as an encourager to others!
 Gotta
Have It!
The society that we live in today is so very visually driven. We see ads
on television, and we have to have the product. Our neighbor has it, and we
need it! Everyone has it, so we want it! The “what” may change
from one day to the next, but the urge to have whatever we see others have
has been around for a long time. It’s called “covetousness.”
And that is the subject of the tenth commandment, found in Exodus 20:17.
And really, when we covet what our neighbor has, it really comes down to
a lack of satisfaction with what the Lord has provided us. God tells us in
His word that He has promised to supply all our need according to His
riches in glory. So, when we covet what we don’t have, and what
others already have, we are really expressing our dissatisfaction with the
provision of the Lord.
We need to take a lesson from the apostle Paul, who according to
Philippians 4:11 had learned to be content in whatever state he was in. And
this is the real lesson of the tenth commandment – our need to be
contented.
As we conclude our series on the Ten Commandments, our message this week
is “Seek to be Contented!” Don’t miss this most important
conclusion to “The Ultimate Top Ten List – God’s Top Ten
Important Principles for Living.”
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 The
Magic 8-Ball
by Leslie Snyder
“Do your
best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need
to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
– 2 Timothy 2:15
Not long ago my daughter reminded me of a childhood toy that I
absolutely loved, the Magic 8-Ball. In case you aren’t familiar with
this iconic toy, allow me to refresh your memory. The ball itself looks
like a large black 8-ball used in the game of billiards, except that this
ball is larger and is filled with a dark liquid that gives cover to its
contents: A small three-dimensional triangle that has phrases on each face
such as “Signs Point to Yes,” “Don’t Count on
It,” “You May Rely on It", “Yes,” or
“Definitely.” The person holding the 8-ball gets to ask a
question, shake the ball and then wait breathlessly for the answer to
appear. Of course, if you were like me and the answer wasn’t one you
liked, you would shake the ball again until a better answer appeared.
Some people mistakenly approach the Bible this way. They have a
question, open the Bible, point their finger on a verse and claim that as
an answer from God, that is, as long if they like the answer. The problem
is, the Bible isn’t a Magic 8-Ball nor is God a “Genie in a
Bottle” that seeks to serve us and grant our wishes.
The Bible is an amazing collection of God-inspired letters, writings,
poems, songs, history, prophecy, judgment and more. It was written over
hundreds of years by over forty different authors ranging in profession
from king to shepherd, fisherman and recovering Pharisee. It is God’s
love letter to the world. The Apostle Paul wrote of the comprehensive
nature of the sacred Scriptures stating, “All scripture is breathed
out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and
for training in righteousness, that the man or woman of God may be
competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). The early
Christians in Berea were on the right track. They revered the Scriptures
and were commended because they studied them daily. May Christians who come
after us be able to look at our lives and similarly commend us for our
commitment to God’s Word.
as seen in “Today’s HomeWord,” a daily
devotional with Jim Burns. Visit them online at www.homeword.com
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 Learning
from Jigsaw Puzzles
Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned From a Jigsaw Puzzle:
1. Don’t force a fit — if something is meant to be, it will
come together naturally.
2. When things aren’t going so well, take a break. Everything will
look different when you return.
3. Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little
pieces only leads to frustration.
4. Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by
bit, piece by piece.
5. When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come
back later (see #4).
6. The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook. Refer
to the Creator’s guidebook often.
7. Variety is the spice of life. It’s the different colors and
patterns that make the puzzle interesting.
8. Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.
9. Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and
order.
10. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches
are surprising.
11. Take time often to celebrate your successes (even little ones).
12. Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle
can’t be rushed.
13. When you finally reach the last piece, don’t be sad. Rejoice
in the masterpiece you’ve made and enjoy a well-deserved rest.
© 2001 Jacquie Sewell (jsewe...@hotmail.com).
Permission is granted to send this to others, but not for commercial
purposes.
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 Close
to the Brokenhearted
by Tom Norvell
These are comforting words from a man who understood difficult times.
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them
from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves
those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17-18, NIV)
The Contemporary English Version says it like this, “When his
people pray for help, he listens and rescues them from their troubles. The
Lord is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up
hope.”
As I write these words I wonder how many people who will read them will
say, “That’s me. I’m the brokenhearted...at least
I’m one of them.” “That’s me. I’m discouraged
and I have given up hope... or I am about to. Life has just been too hard.
I’m not sure I can go on.”
You may be the husband who has worked hard all your adult life to
provide for your family and give them the necessities of life, and then
some. When you thought you were just beginning to see a little relief, your
wife walks out the door vowing never to come back.
You may be Mom or a Dad who has done everything within your power to
guide your child in the right direction. When it seemed that you had failed
you then devoted all your energy to find the right resources to help turn
then their life around. Just when you thought you were making good progress
this child you love made one more poor choice that has changed their life,
and yours forever. Now, you pray asking God to keep them safe.
You may be the woman who has been diagnosed with cancer. You’re in
shock. Your family is in shock. After doing all the tests, battling through
all the treatments, the doctors say, “We’ve done all we can
do.”
You may be the teacher who has given your life to your students. You
realize that most will never get it, most will never thank you, and you
accept that because you are there to make a difference, not receive praise.
But there was that one student who made it all worthwhile. The one who
showed such promise! The one you would have nominated as “Most likely
to be win a Nobel Prize.” Then, came the call that she had been
killed in a car accident.
You may be the soldier who left your wife, your children, and all that
was dear and valuable to you to serve your country for a cause you believed
in. But when you came home everything had changed. Or, you had changed.
Something had changed. You have images that you cannot get rid of.
You may be the child who has endured years of hearing your parents argue
and fight and saying horrible things to one another. You prayed things
would get better. You longed for a happy family. Then, you hear those words
you hoped and prayed you’d never hear: “We’re getting a
divorce.”
You may be the young adult who has finally gotten out on your own, you
finished your degree, you landed a great job, and you feel really good
about where you are. But, no matter how hard you try, and no matter how
well you perform, no matter what you do it doesn’t quite measure up.
It’s just never good enough. There’s always one more thing you
could have done or one more thing that you should have done that would have
been better.
You may be the follower of Jesus. You’ve given Him your whole
life. You died to self and surrendered your will to His. You feel good
about where You are with the Lord. For the first time in your life you know
real joy and peace. Yet, you can’t seem to find that same peace with
your spiritual community. You are feeling more and more disenchanted,
disconnected and disheartened. You cannot figure out what’s wrong.
If you identify with any these people, please know that the words from
David are words from God to you. These promises are for you as much as they
were for David: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he
delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the
brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Though your heart may be broken and your spirit may be crushed, please
don’t give up. Hold on to these promises. Hold on to the One who made
these promises to David, and still makes these promises to you and to me.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed
in spirit.
as seen in the February 4, 2008 issue of “A Norvell
Note,” © 2008. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.
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 Church
Sniglets
The Living Lexicon: Church Terms that Oughta Be
• Biblidue: The build-up of bookmarks, bulletins, notes, and other
miscellanea that collects in one’s Bible.
• Clivaholic: One who can no longer control the compulsion to
quote C.S. Lewis in every sermon, lesson, or conversation.
• Hymnastics: The entertaining body language of the song leader.
• Narthexegesis: Unsolicited post-sermon commentary given the
preacher by armchair biblical theologians.
• Pewtrify: To occupy a precise spot in the sanctuary for more
than 15 years without once showing signs of sentient life.
• Ministereotype: A common myth or misconception about any
ordained person.
• Deaconscript: An unwilling church officer cajoled into a
position of leadership.
• Hi-litaholic: One who cannot resist highlighting Bible verses
until the entire volume is a multihued mass of Day-Glo vibrancy.
• Hymnprovisation: The abrupt and unannounced transition from one
song to another, usually a chorus unfamiliar to most present.
• Proliferation: An abundance of anti-abortion activists.
• Pulpituitary: That phenomenon familiar to those seated on the
front pew, during which a preacher produces hazardous conditions with alliterative
P’s.
as seen in Leadership, Vol. 10, no. 2. From Rob Suggs
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 Christian
One Liners
• Don’t let your worries get the best of you; remember,
Moses started out as a basket case.
• Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try
to sit in their pews.
• Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.
• It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
• The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose,
but mosquitoes come close.
• When you get to your wit’s end, you’ll find God
lives there.
• People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of
the road, and the back of the church.
• Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front
door forever.
• Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you
couldn’t belong.
• If the church wants a better pastor, it only needs to pray for
the one it has.
• God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So
why should you?
• Some minds are like concrete thoroughly mixed up and permanently
set.
• Peace starts with a smile.
• I don’t know why some people change churches; what
difference does it make which one you stay home from?
• A lot of church members who are singing “Standing on the
Promises” are just sitting on the premises.
• We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.
• Be ye fishers of men. You catch them – He’ll clean
them.
• Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
• Don’t put a question mark where God put a period.
• Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
• Forbidden fruits create many jams.
• God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
• God grades on the cross, not the curve.
• God loves everyone, but probably prefers “fruits of the
spirit” over “religious nuts!”
• God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
• He who angers you, controls you!
• If God is your Co-pilot – swap seats!
• Prayer: Don’t give God instructions — just report
for duty!
• The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.
• The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not
protect you.
• We don’t change the message, the message changes us.
• You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage
him.
• The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3
nails = 4 given.
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 The
Last Impression
The preacher’s 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused
and bowed his head for a moment before starting his sermon. One day, she
asked him why.
“Well, Honey,” he began, proud that his daughter was so
observant of his messages, “I’m asking the Lord to help me
preach a good sermon.”
“How come God doesn’t do it?” she asked.
I am certainly praying that the Lord will indeed help me
preach a good sermon this Sunday here at WFA! We have just concluded a
phenomenal Missions Convention, and this week, we will share in communion
and also conclude our ten part preaching series on the Ten Commandments. I
am anticipating a tremendous time together in the Lord! See you this
Lord’s Day here at WFA!
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