Did you make any New Year’s resolutions for 2014?  Want to know how to follow through on your goals?  Here’s a tip.

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Here is a missionary report and a message on love from two of my friends who help to run an orphanage in Mexico.  The message is a good challenge to all Christians on how the love of Christ is extreme, and how the proof of being one of Christ’s disciples is found in that kind of love.

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Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope?  You didn’t know where to turn or what to do?  You felt trapped and powerless?  It’s a state that many have been in.  And people have made many attempts at escape from it.  But the only real release–the only real freedom is found in Jesus.  He is the only one who can open the door to true peace and fulfillment.

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It seems like Christianity is becoming less and less popular in pop culture and mass media.  So maybe all of us Christians should just give up and become atheists. They’re even killing off our brothers and sisters in Africa and the Middle East.  Now’s maybe a good time to get out before it gets that bad in the U.S.  Then again, Jesus did warn us that following him wouldn’t be easy.  Maybe we should take him at his word, count the cost, and live out our faith with some real commitment.  Just an idea.

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Have you ever driven by somebody’s house and seen something they had put at the end of the driveway to throw away and thought that would be something you’d like to have?  Or maybe you’re a garage sale pro.  Isn’t it amazing how many things some people want to get rid of, and how many others see a treasure in that item?

What’s even more amazing is how that happens in so many people’s lives.  They do things to mess up their lives, and they end up thinking they’ve become no better than garbage.  In fact, some people have even ended their own lives because they’ve lost all hope in themselves.  But the good news is that there is a potential treasure in every life.  It doesn’t matter how much we have fouled things up or wrecked our own lives with sin, God can turn any life around and make something wonderful out of what was once worthless…including you!

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There was a book written almost 10 years ago called “The Purpose Driven Life” by a guy named Rick Warren.  And it was a best seller.  Millions of people flocked to buy the book.  And unlike so many other “self help” books, it starts off by telling the reader that the purpose of life isn’t all about you.

There’s something bigger in life than just you.  There is purpose that goes beyond our own wants and needs.  There are things much bigger then our own lives at stake here.  But there’s a really interesting twist involved in dealing with that truth.  You can spend your life trying to find self actualization and fulfillment and wind up completely lost and empty.  But if you devote yourself to the purpose that you were created for, you will gain fulfillment and a contentment as a natural byproduct of focusing on what is most important–in fact that’s the only way to find true life.

Jesus put it this way “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul in the process?”

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Did you know that there are a number of passages in the Bible that tell Christians to meet together to fellowship and worship.  It’s not only good to have church, but you could argue that a person isn’t a very good Christian if they avoid going to church on a regular basis.

Of course just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.  However, a real Christian, who cares about Jesus and the Bible always looks forward to meeting with fellow believers to be encouraged in his work for the faith.

And that’s so important.  Because even more often than it talks about worshiping together, the Bible tells Christians to preach God’s Good News to the world.  And if you’re not doing that, well what good are you to God.  That’s our most important task.  A Christian who doesn’t go to church is like an athlete who doesn’t go to practice.  But a Christian who doesn’t share his faith is like a firefighter that refuses to put out fires.  The first will just lose you the game, but the second will cause lives to be lost.

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Have you ever taken a big trip somewhere?  It usually a lot of fun to get out on the open road (or skies or seas–whatever the case may be) and travel to someplace new and different, and enjoy the sights and experiences.  But what if you were forced to go on a long trip that you didn’t want to go on?  That happened to Paul.  He went on plenty of trips that he wanted to take because he liked being a missionary.  But there was one pretty disastrous trip that he didn’t have a choice about.  And you know what?  In spite of all the difficulties and his life being endangered a number of times, he seemed to make a pretty adventurous trip out of the ordeal.

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN – A Well Oiled Machine

I watched a documentary today about how Clay County, Kentucky (and specifically the city of Manchester) has gone through a miraculous change because of unity in the church.  They were top in the nation for prescription drug abuse, and many people were dying because of crystal meth and other drugs.  So finally the city reached a breaking point where all the churches in town got angry at the drug problem because it was killing their children.  So for the first time all the churches united in passionate prayer and marched against corruption in their government and lawlessness in their community, and God showed up in response to the church uniting in prayer.

So the town changed in so many ways.  Many former drug users became Christians, the churches began to fill up, people in the government and schools all turned to God.  Drug dealers and corrupted city officials were arrested and jailed.  The town itself was cleaned up and beautified.  Business began to build and even the local plant and animal life has grown with numbers that haven’t been up for 50 years.

When people turn to God, it makes a difference.  The question is, what will it take for the church to unite in other cities and become a well-oiled machine for the glory of God?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:27 — 22.6MB)

CHAPTER FIVE – Do You Want The Good News or The Bad News First?

Have you ever notice how things can completely change depending on your perspective?  For example, imagine that you’re asleep–a nice comfortable sleep filled with sweet dreams and somebody slaps you in the face so that you wake up to a very sore cheek.  How do you feel about that person?

Ok, now say the same scenario happens, but once you’re awake the person who hit you explains that the building you’re in is on fire, and you need to get out before you’re trapped inside.  Now how do you feel about that person?

The Bible can bring about different reactions from different people.  For example.  If you don’t love God, and your life demonstrates a disregard for how he has told us to live, much of the Bible is going to sound pretty harsh–and even frightening.  But if you’ve been saved by God, and your life shows it through living the way he tells us to, then you’re going to read the same Bible with a lot of thanks and joyfulness.

So what do you get out of it–good news or bad news?

PS. I don’t know what happened, but this one has terrible sound quality too.  The others are better.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:07 — 20.2MB)