Tell Them By Bishop Donald Hilliard

Josh McDowell writes "An executive 'head hunter' who goes out and hires corporate executives for other firms once told me, 'When I get an executive I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed."

"Then when I think I've got him relaxed I lean over, look him square in the eye and say - what's the purpose in your life?' It's amazing how top executives fall apart on that question.' Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed with my feet up on my desk talking about football. Then I leaned over and said - what's the purpose in your life, Bob? Without blinking an eye he said 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless."

There are basically five reasons why we don't share our faith more often, and not one of them will hold up when we stand before Christ:

(1) We think it's the preacher's job.
(2) We aren't sure of our salvation.
(3) We fear being rejected.
(4) We've never taken responsibility for learning how.
(5) Our love for Christ has grown cold.

But not Paul: he said, "Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him."

Can you say that?

Scripture Of The Day: "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." - 1 Corinthians 9:22 (ESV)

Saved By Her Enemy

Don Teague and RafRaf Barrack were as different as could be. Then September 11th happened, and a war intertwined their lives.

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/vod/AS58v2_WS

Kari Jobe singing "You Are For Me"

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/vod/AS58v2_WS

From Faith to Faith By Bishop Keith Butler

One way to grow in your walk with God is to never allow the things you've learned in the Word of God to get away from you. When you are introduced to more truth from the Bible, take it and add it to what you're now walking in. What you already know is a foundation on which to build. Therefore, don't throw away or forget the old. New truth does not negate the old. It is but another brick to add to the strong foundation of your spiritual house.

To walk in the blessings of God you must have faith. Therefore, it is important that we hold on to our faith and not let it slip away from us. Let's read the text from the Amplified Bible: "Since all this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths t hat we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away."

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." - Hebrews 2:1(KJV)

Now notice what Paul says here (I believe that Paul is the writer of Hebrews). He says we ought to give more earnest heed to the truths we have already heard. He said we ought to pay more attention to what we already know.

In other words, what we know, we don't throw away. We don't have to get a new revelation. I've heard people say, "I don't need all that faith stuff anymore. I don't need all that confession stuff anymore. I'm past that; I'm into a deeper revelation."

But you're always going to need faith. And you're always going to have to deal with the ramifications of the words of your mouth whether you know it or not. And let me tell you, when you let these things slip away - when you let them get away from you - you pay the price.

In fact, Paul said in our text that we ought to pay even more attention to these things.

So often people learn something, they move on to something else and forget about what they've already learned. You should always be adding to the house, so to speak. This way, when the trials of life come they won't even be able to shake you. You'll stand strong in the Word of God.

Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." - Hebrews 2:1(KJV)

The Giving of Life, Part 1‏ - Bruce Wells

How many of us aren't familiar with the miracle of a blood transfusion? It's the method of transferring blood from one person to another. Through this physical process there is literally a transference of life. Recognizing this physical phenomenon, we shouldn't think it strange that blood should be associated with spiritual life given to us through the atoning death of our Lord Jesus.

LIFEBLOOD

Life--that mysterious quality which science has never been able fully to define--immediately brings to mind the blood. This vital fluid courses through the flesh of us all, bringing the food and oxygen which sustains bodily functions. The blood also fights disease that enters the body and assists in getting rid of waste products.

In an average human being, it circulates twice every minute. As the heart pumps the blood through the network of arteries, capillaries and veins, every cell in the body is continually supplied and cleansed. No part of the flesh can live without being in contact with this Red Stream of Life!

Truly it is amazing!

Though medical research has probed deep into its mystery, there is still locked within its elements a secret known only to the Creator. Yet, whatever remains hidden it is clear that the blood is the essential ingredient of physical life. In a very real way life becomes visible through the blood.

We can understand then the Bible's speaking of "blood of your lives" or "lifeblood" (Genesis 9:5; 1 Chronicles 11:19; Isaiah 63:3). The phrase "born of bloods" conveys the same idea of human life (literal translation of term in John 1:13; and Acts 17:26). There are rare occasions when the words blood and life can be used interchangeably, as in Leviticus 19:16 when we are told to "stand against the blood" of our neighbor. Here blood clearly refers to the man's life, and is so translated in some versions (RSV, NASB).

In the same vein, since the heart is the center of the blood circulatory system, it becomes the ideal example of life. The term is used in this way hundreds of times in the Bible to designate the total personality of man.

Because of this it can be said that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts (Matthew 15:19); sinners should rend (tear) their hearts (Joel 2:13); we must believe with our heart (Romans 10:10); or God will take away the stony heart and give a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19).

Dr. Christian Barnard, who, in 1967, performed the first human heart transplant in history, tells of one of his heart-transplant patients asking to see the removed organ. Dr. Barnard had hospital staff bring the large bottle from the lab where the old heart had been placed. As the man looked at the big muscle which once pumped life through his body, the famed surgeon suddenly realized that this was the first time in human experience that a person had ever seen his own heart.

It was indeed an historic moment. But for the patient the sensation must have been even more moving, for the old heart was worn out. Had it not been replaced, life would soon have been extinct. After a long pause, the grateful man looked up and said, "I'm glad that I don't have that old heart anymore."

Certainly, we are no better than our heart, whether it relates to the body or the soul. Where the heart is weak and the blood diseased, life is in danger. But where the heart is strong and the blood is pure, life is full of health and overflowing with joy. This is what Christ wants to give to every person.

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! Precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus. ---Robert Lowery

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QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT

Why is there a natural relationship between life and blood?

What does Paul mean when he prays that Christ may dwell in our heart? Ephesians 3:17.

What is a true heart according to Hebrews 10:22?

The Unity Of The Faith

By Pastor Andre Butler

The phrase "unity of the faith" implies that the faith is defined by its unity. Christianity is supposed to bring about unity. Before you were saved, you lived in a world that was splintered, a world that was fighting against itself. When you became a Christian, you were born into a family that is supposed to be unified.
The word "unity" means oneness, and in this scripture we see that God wills that the church, indeed, the Body of Christ, becomes unified. How are all of us--from different backgrounds and with different ideas and different walks of life--supposed to be unified?

This happens when we grow up spiritually, when our love walk has developed to a place where we are able to be in unity with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Now they may do things we do not like--they may get on our nerves or stab us in the back--but when we have grown spiritually to the point of loving our neighbor as Christ loved us, we will be able to stay in the oneness of the faith, which is unity.

Every person has a human body. If you do not have a human body, you do not have a legal right to operate on this planet. When one part of your natural body fights against another part of your body--and that actually what happens when people have certain diseases--the body can no longer be effective. In fact, the body may no longer operate. Likewise, the body of Christ cannot survive when its members are fighting one against another. It is supposed to operate as one. There should be no schism, no division, in the body.

It is not the will of God that there be so many denominations in the body of Christ that you can't remember all the names. It is not the will of God that this denomination fights against that denomination. It is not the will of God that people within the local church fight one another. No, God's plan is that the body be one. And since that is true, it is important that we do what is necessary to keep ourselves unified, to operate as one.

The Body of Christ is a big Holy Ghost gang. We are to be unified when we go before the world. If Satan wants to pick off one of us, he has to deal with all of us. First Corinthians 12 says that if one us suffers, we all are suffering; if one of us is rejoicing, we all are rejoicing. When the world sees believers, God's desire is that they see us all walking in unity, prospering in every area of life, and producing for Him.

Jesus intends for our unity to be not only a spiritual reality but a literal reality--something people can see. When this is the case, it will cause them to not only believe in God, but in His son Jesus Christ. Our unity is a sign and a wonder to the world.
Scripture Of The Day: "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." - 1 Corinthians 12:26 (NKJV)