Unchanging

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/N4gPY)

The Unchanging Christ

“Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

Never has there ever been a promise more precious than this one.

Stop what you’re doing right now, close your eyes and whisper a prayer to Heaven.  Ask the Lord to clear the clutter from your mind. . .quiet the noises in your heart. . .and calm your anxious or burdened spirit so you can hear His Voice on this Manna.

Ours is an ever-changing world where nothing is sacred anymore (or so it seems).  Values long-cherished are being discarded right-and-left with nary a twinge of conscience.  Those who protest are marginalized, or worse, denounced, derided, disenfranchised and despised.

But, do not fear, Pilgrim.

There’s One Who never changes.  In His Love.  In His Care.  In His Promises.  In His Provisions.

And, that One is “Jesus the Christ”. . .the one-of-a-kind Son of God. . .Who came to love sinners like you and me. . .and gave His Life upon a cruel Cross. . .so we could be forgiven, cleansed and changed.

Just as He covered Adam and Eve’s nakedness by a blood sacrifice, so did He become God’s Passover Lamb “that takes away the sins of us all” (Jn. 1:29, 36).  Just as Noah looked up “and saw Grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8), so are those same eyes longing for you to look up and see the same.

Just as He fulfilled His Promises to Abraham, so will He fulfill them to us.  Just as Joseph “prospered wherever He was because God was with him” (Gen. 39:2-5, 21-23), so will He do the same for us as we trust Him to be Immanuel in our lives.  Just as He forgave David after he committed adultery and had Bathsheba’s husband killed. . .and just as He went looking for Peter on the seashore that day and re-commissioned him for service. . .and just as He transformed Saul, the prolific persecutor of the early church. . .so will He do the same for us. . .for He is “the same yesterday, today and forever.”

If there was ever a time in your life when the Lord came to your aid “just in the nick of time,” do not fear:  He’ll do it again.  If there was ever a time when you wondered how you were going to pay that bill—and out of nowhere some unexpected money arrive—do not doubt:  He knows your needs and will supply them (Phil. 4:19).

The devil will tempt you to doubt.  The world will laugh at you and call you foolish.  Even some of those who call themselves Christians will berate you for clinging to such antiquated beliefs and reading such an out-of-date book as the Bible.

But, do not listen to them, dear Pilgrim.  Instead, close your eyes and say aloud:  “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”  Repeat it once again:  “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”  One more time:  “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”  Then rest in that and live in confidence today, knowing it’s true.  Hallelujah!!

By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated September 18, 2009

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Illustration About Leaders: Unlikely Leaders

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/izM3g)

I found this humorous sermon illustration about leadership while on my quest to search a good sermon illustration for 1 Corinthians 4. May you enjoy this one!!!

Unlikely Leaders

SUBJECT: PASTOR SEARCH COMMITTEE REPORT

We do not have a happy report to give. We have not been able to find a suitable candidate for this church, though we have one promising prospect. Thank you for your suggestions. We have followed up on each one with interviews or by calling at least three references. The following is our confidential report.

ADAM: Racial ancestry could not be confirmed. Good man but has problems with his wife. One reference told us how he and his wife enjoyed walking nude in the woods, until God finally made them put clothes back on.

NOAH: Had Former pastorate of 120 years with no converts. Prone to unrealistic building projects. Great animal lover, but the last neighborhood received a flood of complaints right as he was leaving town.

JOSEPH: A big thinker, but a braggart; believes in dream interpreting and has a prison record over accusations of a rape of his bosses wife. Good with budgets and managing resources, however.

MOSES: A modest and meek man, but poor communicator; even stutters at times. Sometimes blows his stack and acts rashly in business meetings. Some say he left an earlier church over a murder charge. Often claims to get direct quotes from God. Too much over the top for most folks. History says he was a basket case from the beginning.

DEBORAH: One word --- Female.

DAVID: The most promising leader of all until we discovered the affair he had with his neighbor’s wife. Besides, he can’t control his own household... so how could we respect him.

SOLOMON: Great preacher, but he too, has had serious women problems. Independently wealthy, so the church could pay him less and he can make up the difference.

ELIJAH: Prone to depression; collapses under pressure. Besides, no one has seen him in a long time. Doesn’t blend well with other religious leads, either.

HOSEA: A tender and loving pastor, but our people could never handle his wife’s occupation.

JONAH: Told us he was swallowed up by a great fish. He said the fish later spit him out on the shore near here three days later. We hung up.

AMOS: Too much of a country hick. Backward and unpolished. With some seminary training, he might have promise; but he has a hang-up against wealthy people.

JOHN: Says he is a Baptist, but doesn’t dress like one. May be too Pentecostal. Tends to lift both hands in the air to worship when he gets excited. You know we limit to one hand. Sleeps in the outdoors, has a weird diet, and provokes denominational leaders.

PETER: Too blue collar. Has a bad temper, even said to have cursed on occasions. He’s a loose cannon.

PAUL: Powerful CEO type and fascinating preacher. However, he’s short on tact, unforgiving with young ministers, harsh, and has been known to preach all night. Very offensive to women when he starts his "submission" stuff. And besides, he has a rap sheet a mile long in numerous cities.

TIMOTHY: Too young and inexperienced.

JESUS: Has had popular times occasionally, but once when his church grew overnight to 5000, he managed to offend them all with too hard a message; eventually his church dwindled down to twelve people... then finally to eleven, and even the faithful finally left his team. Critics report he seldom stays in one place very long, is easily distracted by poor, sick, and needy people, so doesn’t focus on ministry. Disappeared for forty days one time to go camping and everyone thought he had left the ministry. Spends too much time in meditation, needs to attend more of the organizational meetings without making a spectacle of himself and displaying his temper. And, of course, he is single, which disqualifies him automatically. Oh... and he hangs around with sinners most of the time. Rumor has it he got crossed up with the government at one point, and they buried him with accusations. He’s not a quitter, however, and keeps popping up here and there. His followers are too radical at times for society, and that seems headed for a showdown somewhere in the future. Besides, he’s Jewish.

Summary:
We intend to keep looking until we find the perfect pastor for our congregation.

Sincerely,
Pastor Search Committee.

Source: Illustrations Vol. 12
Posted by Rev.Jeff Dixon, Senior Equipping Minister on Sep 30, 2004, 15:54

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