Days & Years

2 Peter 3:8 - "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."

A set of 365 new days & 1 new year is about to begin. If you're going to resolve to do anything in 2011, then resolve to love God, love others, serve all, and be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone you encounter.

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Years & Days

Psalm 90:4 - "A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night."

Another one of those thousand years is about to end. What did you do to glorify God and to serve others in it?

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Jackie Robinson

The epitaph on the gravestone of Jackie Robinson, who broke the modern-day baseball color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers:

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

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Called To Be Contemplatives

An impactful and thought-provoking comment by Mother Teresa:

"We are all called to be contemplatives in the heart of the world - by seeking the face of God in everything, everyone, everywhere, all the time, and God's hand in every happening; seeking and adoring the presence of Jesus, especially in the lowly appearance of bread, and in the distressing disguise of the poor."

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Job Application

I saw this quote on a bumper sticker a few days before Christmas:

"There is only one God. Stop applying for His job."

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Born

The photo that is included with this blog post shows the 14-point star on the floor directly underneath the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine, which marks the exact location where local tradition holds that Jesus was born.

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Jesus & The Bethlehem Manger

Here are the links for our Celebration Champions Church Vimeo and YouTube video teachings about Jesus & the Bethlehem manger. Be sure to check them out!

http://www.vimeo.com/18020377

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYTXO911sug

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Church Of The Nativity

The photo that is included with this blog post shows the outside of the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square in Bethlehem, Palestine. The church is built directly over the location where local tradition holds that Jesus was born and then placed in a manger by Mary. The manger photo that I recently posted was taken directly underneath the Church of the Nativity.

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A Revolutionary Person

F. L. Hammer:

"Christianity is being concerned about your fellow (human), not building a million-dollar church while people are starving right around the corner. Christ was a revolutionary person, out there where it was happening. That's what God is all about ...."

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The True Manger

The photo that is included with this blog post is a photo of the true manger underneath the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine. The Church of the Nativity was built over the site in Bethlehem where local tradition holds that Jesus was born and then placed in a manger by Mary (Luke 2:7, 12, 16). Remember that a manger is nothing more than a feeding trough for animals.

In the days leading up to Christmas I'll be posting more photos from Holy Land sites relevant to the Christmas story.

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Will

Philippians 2:13 (TNIV) - "(For) it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

Are you able to align yourself with God's will in order to fulfill his good purpose?

Or would you rather that He align himself with yours?

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Thoughts & Ways

Isaiah 55:8-9 (TNIV) - "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'"

Here are a couple of additional thoughts:

1. Do you really want to align yourself with God's thoughts and God's ways?

2. Or do you really prefer to have God align himself with your thoughts and your ways?

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African Proverb

A pastor from Kenya once told me the following African proverb:

"Man plans. God laughs."

Always make sure that any plans that you may concoct for yourself also line up with God's will for your life. If they don't, you may make Him double over with laughter. Even God probably loves a good knee-slapper now and then.

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Splendid Torch

George Bernard Shaw:

"Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

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Courage

Walt Disney once observed:

"Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is exercised. Usually it implies some risk - especially in new undertakings."

Joshua understood this. After Moses died, God put Joshua in charge of the millions of Israelites headed toward the promised land, and God continually reinforced a message of strength and courage to Joshua. On three different occasions between Joshua 1:6-9, God said to Joshua, "Be strong and courageous." Three different times in a matter of four verses.

What do you need to be strong and courageous about today? Are you involved in a new undertaking in your church, ministry, business, or career, and it all seems a bit overwhelming and risky and scary to you?

Between Joshua 1:3-9, in addition to telling Joshua to be strong and courageous, God also told Joshua that He would give Joshua every place where Joshua set his foot; that no one would be able to stand against Joshua all the days of his life; that God would be with Joshua; that God would never leave him nor forsake Joshua; and that God would be with Joshua wherever he went.

Claim all of these same promises for yourself, your church, your ministry, your business, your career, and your new risk or undertaking. Be strong and courageous. God's got your back. He will never leave you nor forsake you, and He will be with you wherever you go and whatever you undertake or risk.

Have courage!

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A Charlie Brown Christmas

Today is the 45th anniversary of the very first TV presentation of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" back on December 9, 1965.

Even after 45 years, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" remains, in my opinion, the best animated Christmas special on TV.

It's also a great tool to use in your church or ministry's special Christmas services or outreaches. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" features a precious scene where Charlie Brown's pal, Linus, recites Luke 2:8-14 (the King James Version) after Charlie Brown, frustrated and demoralized by all of the commercialism of the holiday, asks if anyone can tell him what Christmas is really all about.

Use "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in your church or ministry's special Christmas services or outreaches. After 45 years, it has stood the test of time.

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Account

Romans 14:12 (TNIV) - "So then, we will all give an account of ourselves to God."

I have 2 questions for you with regard to this verse:

1. What will YOU SAY?

2. What will HE RESPOND?

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Larry Bird

Today is Larry Bird's 54th birthday. If you grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, during the 1980s, then this fact blows you away.

Larry Bird was the greatest National Basketball Association player of the last 30 years. He also was one of the NBA's hardest workers. Very frequently when I attended Boston Celtics games at the old Boston Garden (or "Bah-stahn Gah-den" as we'd correctly pronounce it) in the '80s, I'd arrive about one hour before game-time in order to hustle a few autographs from the players, and on almost every occasion I'd see Larry Bird, an hour before game-time, alone on the fabled Boston Garden parquet floor, practicing shots and free throws.

Bird already was the best player in the NBA, but there he was, all by himself on the Boston Garden parquet floor, still trying to improve his game even more.

That's what made him the best in the game.

Never rest on your laurels. Never think that you've arrived. Never think that you can't improve your game. Keep practicing. Keep getting better. Keep excelling.

That's what Larry Bird taught me as I used to watch him on an old parquet floor in an arena that is now just a memory.

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Grace & Manna

God's grace is just like the manna that He provided to the Israelites in the desert.

God's grace, just like His manna, sustains us and is sufficient for us on a daily basis.

Get your grace portion today.

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Joseph

This Sunday is Part 2 of our Christmas series at Celebration Champions Church in Celebration, Florida, USA, and this Sunday we will be learning a whole lot more about the extremely important, but frequently neglected, role of Joseph in the Bethlehem Christmas story.

Men: how would you react if you found out that your fiancee was pregnant, and you were not the father? And how would you further react if your fiancee tried to tell you that the Holy Spirit did it?

Would you even believe her?

That's what Joseph was up against 2,000 years ago.

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Mary

This Sunday at Celebration Champions Church we will be starting our Christmas series. 'Tis the season!

Every Sunday through the end of the year we will learn more about a person or group that played a significant role in the Bethlehem Christmas story. This Sunday we will learn more about Mary, whose role as the mother of our Lord was a lot more difficult and scandalous and controversial than most people ever imagine or believe or understand.

God can and does work wonders through unmarried, pregnant, junior high-age girls.

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Still

Exodus 14:14 (TNIV) - "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Psalm 46:10 (TNIV) - "Be still, and know that I am God ...."

Zechariah 2:13 (TNIV) - "Be still before the Lord, all people ...."

Is it possible for you to be still?

Or does your own sense of speed, movement, efficiency, self-reliance, and self-suffiency prevent stillness in your life?

God works wonders ... when you are simply still.

Be still.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 95:2 (TNIV) - "Let us come before Him with THANKSGIVING and extol Him with music and song."

Psalm 100:4 (TNIV) - "Enter His gates with THANKSGIVING and His courts with praise; GIVE THANKS to Him and praise His name."

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Salvation Army

Today we travelled over to the Salvation Army headquarters in nearby Kissimmee, Florida, USA, and we donated several hundred pounds of food for their food pantry as part of our Celebration Champions Church Thanksgiving Food Drive.

We particularly want to thank Juan Carlos, Carolina, and Ricardo of Roma's Quick Cafe in Celebration for doing such a fantastic job in leading the food drive.

We were greatly blessed today by being able to bless others!

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Thanksgiving Video Teaching

The Celebration Champions Church video teaching about thanksgiving is now on Vimeo and YouTube. Be sure to check it out. Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Or are you just a Gimme Guy or a Gimme Girl?

http://www.vimeo.com/17099323

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op-6C1ZI1PE

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JFK

Today is the 47th anniversary of the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.

Last April my wife, Dorcas, and I were in Dallas, and we visited the Sixth Floor Museum, located on the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository building. That is the building and the floor where the U.S. government alleged that Lee Harvey Oswald hid and shot President Kennedy as the presidential motorcade slowly passed through Dealey Plaza.

The Sixth Floor Museum is a compelling place to visit, especially for someone such as myself who grew up in the Boston area, surrounded by the Kennedy legacy.

Our Sixth Floor Museum visit also gave me pause for spiritual thought about the JFK assassination. JFK was a young man, just 46 years old, when he died. I'm 45 now. JFK was energetic and charismatic and captivated the entire world during his time in the White House. But then it all ended very quickly and very violently one sunny Friday afternoon in Dallas. I often wonder what JFK's last thoughts were in the final seconds before he was killed.

In Psalm 39:4-5 (TNIV), David sings, "Show me, Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure."

JFK's life's end happened 47 years ago today and, 47 years later, it still stands a good lesson to all of us about how fleeting life truly is.

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Thankful

On Sunday at Celebration Champions Church I will be sharing the story of an armed, attempted kidnapping against me five years ago in Lima, Peru, in July of 2005. The attempted kidnapping failed, but I was left with a broken right arm, and I had to wear a large, heavy, plaster cast for a couple of months. Since I am right-handed, I quickly had to learn how to do everything left-handed for many months. Not being able to use my right arm quickly made me thankful for it. I still have the plaster cast as a reminder.

What are you thankful for?

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Faith & Deeds - Video Teaching

We have filmed a Celebration Champions Church video teaching on Faith & Deeds. Here are the links on Vimeo and YouTube. Check 'em out!

http://www.vimeo.com/16869673

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CSrfagapTA

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Facing The Giants This Saturday

Join us this Saturday night at 7:30 P.M. at the Thai Thani Restaurant Function Center, 600 Market Street, Celebration, Florida 34747, as we feature the movie "Facing The Giants." The movie is the story of a high school football team and its coach, and the challenges they face one season. It's a great movie and it's family-friendly and it's free to attend! After the movie we'll have free Thai food appetizers for everyone to enjoy. Invite your family and friends!

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Thanksgiving Food Drive

Celebration Champions Church is partnering with our friends at Roma's Quick Cafe in Celebration on a Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit needy families in Central Florida.

Together we are collecting non-perishable food items to distribute to needy area families in order to help ensure that they have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Please help us to help others! If you live in Central Florida, please bring your donation of non-perishable food items to Roma's Quick Cafe, 1180 Celebration Blvd., Celebration, Florida 34747, between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM through November 24. You also may call the Celebration Champions Church office at 321-443-7855 to arrange for pick-up of your items.

If you are not in Central Florida but would like to support this Thanksgiving Food Project, then please send a check or money order to Celebration Champions Church, 660 Celebration Avenue, Suite 170-210, Celebration, Florida 34747. Your donation is fully tax deductible, and 100% of your donation will go toward the purchase of Thanksgiving food items for the neediest families in our area.

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Preach

Always preach as if it was your last sermon.

One day it will be.

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Veterans Day Parade

On Saturday morning there will be a Veterans Day Parade in Celebration, Florida, USA, as part of Celebration's Founders Day Weekend.

We here at Celebration Champions Church will be marching in the parade. Since we have just recently started out as a new church in town, the parade presents us with a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to the community.

Always be on the lookout for similar, local, festive events or parades as opportunities to introduce your church or ministry to the local community. It can make for a very friendly introduction and a very positive first impression for your church or ministry.

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Video Teaching On Taming The Tongue

We have posted our latest Celebration Champions Church video teaching about taming the tongue on both Vimeo and YouTube. Check it out! Here are the two links:

http://www.vimeo.com/16631276

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqfZ4CKqYMM

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Neutral

American civil rights leader and Baptist pastor Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once remarked:

"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."

Jesus was never neutral. He enraged the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the day by pointing out their hypocrisy and inconsistency. He used their words and their practices against them. He hung out with a crowd that the religious leaders condemned. He told his disciples in Matthew 10:22, "Everyone will hate you because of me ...." His lack of neutrality eventually landed Jesus on a wooden cross.

Neutrality is the opposite of courage.

Jesus was never neutral.

Are you?

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Young & Old

Pastor, author, and professor Dr. Tony Campolo once remarked:

"A person is as young as their dreams and as old as their cynicism."

So how young or old are you?

Always make sure that your dreams trump your cynicism.

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Favoritism

Check out our latest Celebration Champions Church video teaching on favoritism, available on both Vimeo and YouTube. Here are the links:

http://www.vimeo.com/16476623

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5W_VDrqrBE

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Facing The Giants

On Saturday night, November 20, 2010, we will be showing "Facing The Giants" at 7:30 P.M. at the Thai Thani Restaurant Function Center in Celebration, Florida, USA. If you're in Central Florida on November 20, then come and join us. The movie is free, so invite your family and friends, too!

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Taming The Tongue

If man can tame lions, tigers, bears, elephants, and anacondas, why can't he tame his tongue?

That's what we're going to discuss this Sunday at Celebration Champions Church in Celebration, Florida, USA. Join us if you're in Central Florida!

(By the way, I've held a 20-foot-long anaconda on my shoulders during a mission trip to the Amazon jungle in Peru. The anaconda had been tamed. That's why I'm still here to post this blog.)

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The Day After

So how do you feel today?

If you're a Republican in the USA, then you probably feel pretty good.

If you're a Democrat in the USA, then you probably feel pretty bad.

But remember this: no matter your political leanings, God has established the political authority that has been voted both in and out of office.

Romans 13:1 - TNIV - "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established."

Titus 3:1 - TNIV - "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good ...."

(By the way, Republicans, don't shout "Amen!" too gloatfully today. I gave the exact same message to you back in 2008 after Barack Obama was elected President.)

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Politics

Today is Election Day in the USA. It's important to remember the following truths on this day:

1. Jesus was not a Republican. Or a Democrat.

2. Jesus transcends partisan politics.

3. Beware of anyone who tells you differently - especially if he or she is a pastor.

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Halloween Outreach

Last night was Halloween, and here at Celebration Champions Church we made a decision to shine some light into the darkness.

The streets of Celebration, Florida, USA, were filled with tons of trick-or-treaters, both young and old and locals as well as out-of-towners, and so we passed out hundreds of Celebration Champions Church promotional cards along with Halloween candy. No one refused a card. We hope to see a big payoff on our Halloween investment, starting right away this Sunday!

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Pete Rose

Since we're on the subject of baseball in Cincinnati, let's talk about Pete Rose today.

Pete Rose was one of baseball's greatest players and he is the game's all-time hit king. A gambling addiction got him banned from the game and from the Baseball Hall of Fame, but it's difficult to think of anyone who played the game with more intensity than Charlie Hustle.

Pete Rose was once asked by a reporter about his hitting philosophy.

Rose replied, "Every time I step up to the plate, I expect to get a hit! If I don't expect to get a hit, I have no right to step in the batter's box in the first place! If I go up only just hoping to get a hit, then I probably don't have a prayer to get a hit."

Shouldn't we as Christ followers have the same positive, can-do attitude?

Philippians 4:13 (TNIV) says, "I can do all this through Him who gives me strength."

"All this."

Every bit of it.

If you truly are a Christ follower, then it's time for you to step in the batter's box, expecting a lot of hits for your church or ministry.

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The Red Stockings Of Cincinnati

I once wrote a book called "The Red Stockings Of Cincinnati: Base Ball's First All-Professional Team." The book details the story of the 1869-1870 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first team in baseball (or "base ball", as the sport was called in 1869-1870) to pay all of its players a salary. The Red Stockings were a powerhouse, going undefeated for 1-1/2 seasons, and they gave rise to professionalism in sports as we know it today (for better or worse).

Signed copies of "The Red Stockings Of Cincinnati" are now available, and 100% of the proceeds go to the international ministry and mission of Celebration Champions Church. To order your signed copy of "The Red Stockings Of Cincinnati", please send a check or money order in the amount of $20 to Celebration Champions Church, 660 Celebration Avenue, Suite 170-210, Celebration, FL 34747.

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Second Chances

I once wrote a book called "Second Chances: How God Uses Imperfect People For His Great Glory." The book is full of stories of how some of the greatest heroes of the faith also messed up big-time, and how God gave each of them a second chance, just as He does with you and me, too.

Signed copies of "Second Chances" are now available, and 100% of the proceeds will go to support the ministry and mission of Celebration Champions Church. If you'd like a signed copy of "Second Chances", then please mail a check or money order in the amount of $20 to Celebration Champions Church, 660 Celebration Avenue, Suite 170-210, Celebration, FL 34747.

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Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is one of the top superstars in the National Basketball Association. Recently he was baptized in the Atlantic Ocean. The story of Howard's baptism, along with photos, is located at the following link:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-magic-dwight-howard-baptized-1024120101024,0,1225249.story

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Contemporvant

Is your church a "contemporvant" church?

Check out this YouTube video and find out!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlyvLzIcTBc


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Temptation Teaching Video

We just filmed a new Celebration Champions Church teaching video about temptation. We have posted the video on both Vimeo and YouTube.

Here are the links:

http://www.vimeo.com/16000106

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q43uTA-A10

Check it out!

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Cesar Chavez

Mexican-American farm labor leader Cesar Chavez once was asked what the Church should do in order to help out struggling migrant farm workers.

Cesar Chavez responded:

"What do we want the Church to do? We don't ask for more cathedrals. We don't ask for bigger churches or fine gifts. We ask for its presence with us, beside us, as Christ among us. We ask the Church to sacrifice with the people for social change, for justice, and for love of brother. We don't ask for words. We ask for deeds. We don't ask for paternalism. We ask for servanthood."

It's all about servanthood.

Always.

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Museums & Hospitals

A church should not be a museum for saints.

A church should be a hospital for sinners.

Is your church a museum? Or a hospital?

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The Coming Evangelical Collapse

I've attached a link for a fascinating article about the potential for a coming evangelical collapse in the USA.

This report is extremely interesting and, sadly, has a lot of truth to it.

Remember, though, that with each collapse also comes a rebuilding.

Here's the link to the article:

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2009/0310/p09s01-coop.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4cb5c1d01918baa4,0

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Vimeo & YouTube

A great way to get the word out about your church or ministry is to film and post videos on Vimeo and YouTube. Check out a couple of examples of our Celebration Champions Church promo videos which we have posted on Vimeo and YouTube:

http://www.vimeo.com/15826446

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmd--itJ4O4

Give it a try and boost your church or ministry!

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Like & Unlike

Mahatma Gandhi once was asked for his opinion about Christianity.

Gandhi paused for a moment, and then he responded:

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

I'm afraid he was right.

What are you doing today to change this widely-held perception of Christians?

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Temptation Promo Video

We just uploaded a promo video for this Sunday's teaching about temptation at Celebration Champions Church.

You can watch the CCC temptation promo video at:

http://vimeo.com/15784478

What tempts you? Sex? Drugs? Booze? Money? Power? Fame? Cookies-n-Cream ice cream? All of the above?

If you're in Florida, then join us this Sunday at Celebration Champions Church as we learn how to defeat temptation!

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Preach

St. Francis of Assisi once said:

"Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words."

If someone put a strip of duct tape over your mouth, would the world still be able to know that you are a Christ follower?

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TR & Wisdom

As I was preparing for my Wisdom Part 2 teaching this Sunday at Celebration Champions Church, I found the following quote from former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt:

"9/10 of wisdom consists in being wise in time."

There is a direct correlation between wisdom and timeliness. TR was right on target on this one.

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Image

American writer and humorist Mark Twain once observed:

"God created man in his own image, and man returned the favor."

What image do others see when they look at you? Do they see God's image - or only your own?

Remember that God created you in his image - and not the other way around.

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Wisdom

Please check out our new Celebration Champions Church video on Vimeo about wisdom:

http://www.vimeo.com/15598009

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Prayer

Every Wednesday night we have a time of prayer at Celebration Champions Church. We believe that it is important not just to meet together on Sunday mornings, but also to set aside a time during the week for community prayer. We believe that God blesses a church that prays together.

We want to pray for all of you who read this blog. Please leave your prayer requests in the "Comments" section of this blog, and know that we will be praying over your requests every week.

Psalm 34:15 (TNIV) - "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry."

Psalm 34:17 (TNIV) - "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles."

Jeremiah 33:3 (TNIV) - "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

James 5:16 (TNIV) - "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

1 Peter 3:12 (TNIV) - "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer ...."

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Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra, the legendary Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees, is famous for his collection of quotes and life observations that can be downright head-scratching and deeply philosophical - at the same time!

For instance, Yogi Berra has said:

1. "You can observe a lot just by watching."

2. "It's like deja-vu all over again."

3. "When you come to the fork in the road, take it."

4. "The future ain't what it used to be."

5. "It ain't over 'til it's over."

Yogi Berra also made one other observation that seems a little bit head-scratching, and a little bit philosophical, and also quite a bit biblical in its own way.

Berra once observed:

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is."

Wow. Yogi Berra just summed up James 1:22 quite well. I'm sure that he never intended to do so.

James 1:22 (TNIV) says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

The Yogi Berra Version (the "YBV") of James 1:22 might read, "Don't just theorize. Practice."

Mere theorizing and listening can lead to nothing of impact.

Practicing and doing, however, leads to accomplishment and achievement.

Don't just listen. Do.

Don't just theorize. Practice.

The YBV tells me so.

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Enemies

Do you love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35) ?

Or do you just tolerate them?

Your answer is a good measurement of your Christ-like-ness.

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Perseverance

We have uploaded our first Celebration Champions Church teaching video to Vimeo! It is a teaching about perseverance and it is from our "According to Jim" series which is based on the book of James.

Here is the link for the teaching video:

http://www.vimeo.com/15361630

Check it out!

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New

Matt Maher has a great song called "Hold Us Together" on his 2009 CD "Alive Again."

In "Hold Us Together", Maher sings, "This is the first day of the rest of your life." It's a great line, and it reminds me of the newness and freshness that we wake up to every single day of our lives as Christ followers. Paul echoes this theme in 2 Corinthians 5:17 when he writes to the church of God in Corinth that "if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

I love the "!" at the end of this verse. The "!" matches Paul's obvious enthusiasm for the newness that we have in Christ, a newness that is reborn every day of our lives.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Embrace its newness, its freshness, and its endless opportunities.

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Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky was one of the greatest players in the history of the National Hockey League. He scored 894 goals in his NHL regular season career, and his uniform jersey #99 was permanently retired by the NHL. Sports Illustrated selected Gretzky as its greatest hockey player of the 20th century.

Wayne Gretzky was once asked about the secret of his goal-scoring success. How was it possible, the questioner wanted to know, for him to score so many goals in his career?

Wayne Gretzky thought for a moment, and then he gave the questioner his answer. Gretzky responded:

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Wayne Gretzky scored 894 goals in his NHL regular season career because he took a lot of shots.

When you take a lot of shots, you score a lot of goals.

What shots do you need to take today?

You need to take shots before you'll score any goals.

Start shooting.

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John Wooden

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach who passed away earlier this year, once made the following life observations:

1. Talent is God-given. Be humble.

2. Fame is man-given. Be grateful.

3. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

How humble, grateful, and careful are you being today?

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Jackie Robinson

The following words are carved on the gravestone of Jackie Robinson, the incredibly courageous Brooklyn Dodgers infielder who broke baseball's modern color barrier in 1947:

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

The words were written by Jackie Robinson himself.

What impact are you having on other lives today?

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Community Events

As we launch Celebration Champions Church, we are working hard to get the word out into the community about the new church, and so we are becoming involved in as many community events and activities as possible in order to spread the news about our new church plant.

We have attended a Celebration High School football game and we have placed an ad in the game program. We have attended an arts festival and we have passed out promotional cards. We have advertised on the local community cable TV channel and in the local community newspapers and magazines. We also have leveraged the Internet and various social media by means of this blog, our church webpage, Facebook, Twitter, and Vimeo.

Does the community around you know that your church or ministry exists? Are you sure? What more can you do to spread the word about your church or ministry? Becoming involved in local community events and leveraging the Internet and social media are various low-cost (and many times even free) ways to reach your community with news, information, and promotion about your church or ministry. Give it a try!

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According To Jim

We now have kicked off Celebration Champions Church in Celebration, Florida, USA, and this Sunday we will be launching our first multi-week teaching series. The series is called "According To Jim." It is based on the book of James. James was the brother of Jesus, and he has many practical life lessons for us to learn, on matters such as perseverance, wisdom, trials and temptations, listening versus doing, favoritism, faith and deeds, taming the tongue, submission to God, and patience in suffering. This Sunday we will be studying James 1:2-4 and we will be learning about perseverance. We'll be showing video clips from the Boston Marathon and from "Facing The Giants" (the famous deathcrawl scene) as we learn how to persevere. If you're in the central Florida area this Sunday, then come and join us at Celebration Champions Church!

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Kick-Off

Sunday was a big day for kick-offs across the USA.

The National Football League kicked off its first Sunday of the 2010 season in sold-out stadiums across the land. I am a fan of the Miami Dolphins, and they defeated the Buffalo Bills, 15-10, so I was happy about that.

Sunday also marked the kick-off of our newest church plant, Celebration Champions Church, in Celebration, Florida, USA. It was an exciting morning as we kicked off our first service at the Thai Thani Restaurant Function Center in Celebration. We had a great time of worship and teaching, and we were very excited for all of those who attended our first service. We even celebrated with delicious Thai food appetizers, provided by the restaurant after the service! We will have the free Thai food appetizers each week after every service. It makes for a great time of fellowship!

Thank you to everyone who was praying for us as we kicked off Celebration Champions Church in Celebration on Sunday. Please keep praying for us as we go forward!

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Launch

This Sunday we will be launching our newest church plant, Celebration Champions Church, in Celebration, Florida, USA. Celebration is the town built by the Walt Disney Company in the 1990s. It is located right next door to Walt Disney World.

There is nothing quite like planting a new church. In Peru, we planted 4 churches, and Celebration Champions Church is our first church plant in the USA.

There is always lots of work to do when planting a new church: incorporating, opening a corporate bank account, obtaining state tax exemption, obtaining 501 (c) (3) registration from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, finding a locale, starting a website, and promoting the church in a host of different ways, including the new church website, plus Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, TV, print advertising, and promotional cards and flyers.

Earlier today we were at the Thai Thani Restaurant Function Center, where we will hold our first service on Sunday. We were performing some A/V tests and deciding how to configure the seating. Because it is a restaurant function center, we have the option of having tables in addition to chairs, and I like that, so we will have tables available for groups that want to spread out their Bibles and notes in front of them on a table.

By the way, we have never "done church" in a "traditional" church building. All of our church plants have been in apartments, hotels, cinemas, and restaurants. It has worked out very well. You'd be very surprised at the number of people who might never darken the door of a church in a traditional church building, but who are willing to visit a church located in a "non-church" venue. Try it sometime.

Please pray for us as we launch Celebration Champions Church. It is all very exciting, just as any birth is.

Matthew 18:20 (TNIV) - "For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them."

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Limits

National Basketball Association legend Michael Jordan once observed:

"Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion."

Michael Jordan never went to seminary and Michael Jordan never pastored a church, but his words should ring forth from every pulpit, for they are downright biblical.

Ephesians 3:20 (TNIV) - "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us ...."

Philippians 4:13 (TNIV) - "I can do all this through Him who gives me strength."

There are no limits to your ministry when it is God-powered.

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Sunday Dinner

Do you know what many Christians have for dinner on Sundays after church?

Roast pastor.

Many Christians smile sweetly at their pastor when they greet him at the door after the service, and they may even tell him how great his preaching and teaching were, but then they hightail it to the nearest restaurant or back home and proceed to roast him like he was a duck or a chicken.

Such a Sunday dinner is not pastor-honoring or God-honoring.

What's on your menu for dinner this Sunday? Roast pastor? Again?

1 Timothy 5:17 (TNIV) - "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching."

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Sodomites

Question: What do you think was the worst sin committed in Sodom and Gomorrah?

Answer: It's probably not what you expected.

In Ezekiel 16:49 (TNIV), God states, "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."

Surprised?

You're not alone. Many Christ followers are unaware of this verse.

Or at least try to avoid it.

Many Christ followers believe that sexual immorality was the worst sin committed in Sodom and Gomorrah, yet right here in Ezekiel 16:49 God Himself says that the people of Sodom were arrogant, overfed, unconcerned, and did not help the poor and needy.

Many Christ followers would never equate themselves with the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, but many Christ followers would do well to take a second look at their lives with the words of God in Ezekiel 16:49 in mind. Many Christ followers are quick to point judgmental fingers at others they deem to be sexually immoral - Sodomites - without closely examining their own degree of arrogance, gluttony, unconcern, and lack of care for the poor and needy.

Too many of us are Sodomites.

We just didn't know it.

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Have & Need

God knows what you have.

God knows what you need.

Every day you have a choice:

1. To worry about what you don't have.

2. To trust God to provide what you need.

Matthew 6:8 (TNIV) - " ... your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

Philippians 4:19 (TNIV) - "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

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Cocama Tribe

We're just 16 days away from the opening of our new church plant, Celebration Champions Church, on Sunday, Sept. 12, at 10:00 AM in Celebration, Florida, USA. We're advertising on the local TV station, and we'll also be advertising in the high school football game program, and at a Lifeway Christian Bookstore, and on Vimeo and YouTube.

At the same time, however, God has told us not to end our ministry in the Amazon jungle in Peru. In fact, He has given us a great opportunity to start a new ministry and a new daughter church with the Cocama tribe in the Amazon jungle in Peru. The Cocama tribe has 2,000 people in it, so this presents us with a wonderful opportunity to advance our pre-existing Amazon jungle ministry that we already have with the Yagua tribe nearby.

So: we'll be starting up in Celebration, Florida, USA, in 16 days, and at the same time we'll be advancing our ministry in the Amazon jungle with the Yagua and Cocama tribes. And there may be an opportunity for a Lima church re-launch soon, too.

It's always exciting to see what God has in store for you.

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Hypocrite

It has been said that a hypocrite is a person who acts different on Sunday morning.

Hypocrites sit in church pews every Sunday.

Hypocrites also stand in church pulpits.

Do you act different on Sunday morning than you act the rest of the week?

Psalm 26:4 (TNIV) - "I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites."

Matthew 7:5 (TNIV) - "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person's eye."

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Kingdoms Near & Far

Our new church plant, Celebration Champions Church, opens on Sunday morning, September 12, in Celebration, Florida, USA.

Celebration Champions Church will be located - literally - right next door to Walt Disney World!

The proximity of Celebration Champions Church to Walt Disney World presents us with a great opportunity: to build up God's Kingdom right next door to the Magic Kingdom!

It's a case of kingdoms near and far!

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) - "But seek first the kingdom of God ...."

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Gossip

Pastors and church and ministry leaders, it's always important to remember this:

Whoever gossips TO you will also gossip ABOUT you.

A leopard will never change its spots just for you, no matter who you are.

Proverbs 16:28 (TNIV) - "The perverse stir up dissension, and gossips separate close friends."

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Facebook

Follow Celebration Champions Church on Facebook. The brand-new Celebration Champions Church Facebook page is up and running!

And if you're in the Central Florida area on Sunday morning, September 12, then be sure to join us at 10:00 A.M. for our kick-off service at the Thai Thani Restaurant Function Center, 600 Market Street, Celebration, FL 34747. We'll see you there!

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Green Vs. Ripe

If you're green, then you're growing.

If you're ripe, then you're rotting.

Always be green. Always be growing. Always be learning. Don't let life ripen you to the point of ministerial rottenness.

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Celebration Champions Church

We're very excited to announce that our new church plant, Celebration Champions Church, will be opening on Sunday morning, September 12, in Celebration, Florida, USA!

Join us on Sunday morning, September 12, at 10:00 A.M. at the Thai Thani Restaurant Function Center, 600 Market Street, Celebration, Florida 34747.

If you are in the Central Florida area, join us for our kick-off on September 12 and make Celebration Champions Church your new church home!

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No Fool

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

The eternally-impactful words of US missionary Jim Elliot, killed by the Auca Indians in Ecuador on January 8, 1956.

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Glorify

In Psalm 34:3 (TNIV), David sings, "Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together."

In many churches around the world, however, Psalm 34:3 reads, "Glorify the (pastor's name) with me; let us exalt (pastor's name) together."

Pastors and church leaders: who are the people in your church glorifying more, you or the Lord? Think before you answer. It's dangerous and not God-honoring if there is a cult of personality or a cult of celebrity in your church that revolves around you. God knows your heart.

And your ego.

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Jungle Earthquake Update

We've checked on our daughter church, our Yagua tribe brothers and sisters, and all of the rest of our friends in the Amazon jungle in Peru, and it looks like everyone is safe and sound after yesterday morning's earthquake which registered 7.2 on the Richter Scale. Apparently there was a whole lot of shake, rattle, and roll yesterday morning in the jungle, but thankfully no one was injured and there was no property damage. Thank you to everyone who was praying for their safety!

COMING NEXT WEEK: Exciting news about the kick-off of Celebration Champions Church!

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Jungle Earthquake

Please join us in praying for our daughter church and for all of our friends in the Amazon jungle in Peru as they recover from an earthquake earlier today which measured 7.2 on the Richter Scale.

The earthquake hit Ecuador and the Peruvian jungle, including the area along the Amazon River in Peru very near to where we planted a daughter church with the Yagua native tribe. About half of the Yagua tribal community attends our church services in the jungle every week, and we also have baptized 20 people right in the Amazon River. God also is opening new doors for us to expand our jungle ministry with another large tribe very soon. Please join us in praying for the Yagua tribe and for all of our friends in the Amazon jungle as they recover from today's earthquake. We will be trying to get aid and assistance to them all very soon.

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Walking

St. Francis of Assisi once remarked:

"It is of no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching."

So, are you walking the walk?

Or are you just talking the talk?

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Best & Worst

God uses trials to bring out the best in you.

The enemy uses trials to bring out the worst in you.

Your attitude, your understanding, and your response will determine whether others see your best or see your worst when you are going through trials.

James 1:2-4 (TNIV) - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:12 (TNIV) - "Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

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Silver

It is said that when a silversmith can see his reflection or image in a silver item that he is forging by fire, then he knows that the silver is ready.

In Genesis 1:26 (TNIV), God said, "Let us make human beings in our image ...." In Genesis 1:27 (TNIV), it says that indeed "God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them ...."

Frequently God allows us to be forged by fire, which never is pleasant during the process, but with the end that He then sees His reflection and His image in us.

What sort of image is reflected back to God when He looks at you today?

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Preach

St. Francis of Assisi once remarked:

"Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words."

Are you able to preach the Gospel without using your tongue?

Remember that your hands and your feet are much more important than your tongue when you are preaching the Gospel.

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Pessimists & Optimists

Harry S Truman was the President of the United States of America from 1945 to 1953. Truman once observed:

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities, and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties."

Which one are you?

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Felices Fiestas Patrias!

"Felices Fiestas Patrias!" to all of our friends in Peru who are celebrating that nation's pair of Independence Days today and tomorrow.

Psalm 33:12 (TNIV) - "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord ...."

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Please Pray For Josh Gonzalez

Please continue to pray for our friend, Josh Gonzalez, who is suffering from cancer in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA. Josh recently underwent surgery for testicular cancer, but now his doctors have found a new type of cancer in his gastrointestinal tract and in his lungs. Josh also has bleeding in his lungs. He has been moved back into the Intensive Care Unit in Lynchburg General Hospital, and there is a grave concern that he may soon have to go on a life support system. Your prayers are urgently needed for Josh Gonzalez at this time.

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Foolishness & Wisdom & Weakness & Strength

In 1 Corinthians 1:25 (TNIV), Paul writes to the church of God in Corinth that "the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

Do you really agree with Paul's statement?

Or does your seminary degree or your Gold's Gym membership get in the way?

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Wedding Anniversary

Today Dorcas and I celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary!

We'll be celebrating at the Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World where, 7 years ago today, we were married at the Grand Floridian Wedding Chapel.

Proverbs 18:22 (TNIV) - "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord."

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Museums & Hospitals

A church is not a museum for saints.

A church is a hospital for sinners.

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Josh Gonzalez

Please join us in praying for our friend, Josh Gonzalez, as he recuperates from surgery for testicular cancer. Josh's doctors also are investigating spots on his lungs and his brain. Thank you in advance for your prayers for our friend, Josh.

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Facing The Giants

There are times in life when the enemy just pounds away at you. A left upper-cut. A right hook. A quick knee to the groin. Sometimes life and ministry can be like an ultimate fighting match, and you've got the scars to prove it.

As a result, there also are times when all you want to do is throw the towel into the ring.

It's at times like these when it's good to go back and watch the movie, "Facing The Giants", and especially the famous "death crawl" scene, when one underachieving high school football player carries a teammate on his back, while blindfolded, the entire length of the field.

The underachieving player, since he is blindfolded the whole time, has no idea how far he is going up the field. All he knows is that he is dog-tired and can't go much further. But the entire time that he is crawling up the field on his hands and feet, with a 140-pound teammate on his back, the coach keeps exhorting him to go just a little bit more.

"Keep driving!" the coach tells him. "Don't quit! Give everything you've got! Give your very best! Keep going! Don't stop! Even when it hurts! Even when it burns!"

The player finally collapses in sheer and utter exhaustion.

In the end zone.

This scene from "Facing The Giants" is a classic, and it also serves as great motivation during those times and seasons in life and ministry when we are totally exhausted, overwhelmed, discouraged, worried, and feeling like we've been totally smacked down by the enemy.

God is exhorting you today: "Keep driving! Don't quit! Give everything you've got! Give your very best! Keep going! Don't stop! Even when it hurts! Even when it burns!"

God is exhorting you in this way today.

Because He knows how close you are to the end zone.

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Faith & Sight

In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul writes to the church of God in Corinth, "We live by faith, not by sight."

Can you say the same?

Do you truly live by faith, or is it more by sight?

The vast majority of Christians seem to come from Missouri - you know, the Show Me State.

Would you be able to walk on water if Jesus beckoned you, or would He have to say, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Living by faith means keeping your eyes on Jesus.

Living by sight means keeping your eyes on the wind and the waves of life instead.

How you live, and your level of faith, are determined by where your eyes are focused.

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Explore. Dream. Discover.

American author and humorist Mark Twain:

"20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

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Christ & Christians

Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi once made the following observation about Christ and Christians:

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

That should be a jarring statement for any Christian to hear. It should not be a statement to resist or to argue with, but rather a statement to ponder and to reflect upon.

Unfortunately, too frequently Gandhi is correct. Unfortunately, too frequently there are Christians - everywhere - who are so un-Christ-like. And that's what leads non-Christians such as Mahatma Gandhi to make such poignant and telling observations.

Are you a Christian?

Are you like or unlike Christ?

Sometimes it takes a non-Christian to point out the difference.

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Champion

Stop being a spectator.

Stop being a cheerleader.

Put on a uniform jersey.

Get in the game.

Be a champion, not a spectator!

Psalm 19:5 (TNIV) - " ... Like a champion rejoicing to run his course."

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Kidnapping Attempt

Today is the 5th anniversary of a kidnapping attempt against me in Lima, Peru.

On Friday night, July 8, 2005, at about 9:15 PM, I was walking home after teaching an English class at a Lima language institute. I was just a couple of blocks away from our home, on a dimly-lit side street, when a man stepped out of a late-model sedan about 15 feet ahead of me. The man was well-dressed, wearing a leather jacket and dress pants, and he was talking on his cell phone.

All of a sudden, the man hung up his cell phone, put it in his jacket pocket, and then pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at me.

Just seconds after the man pointed his gun at me, a second man put his arm around my throat from behind me, where he had been hiding in some bushes, and pointed a gun at my head.

The man in front of me began ordering me to get in his car, where a third man was waiting as the driver. I said no. Lima, unfortunately, has lots of kidnappings, and the one thing I had learned from the various TV news reports about prior kidnappings was that you did everything you could to avoid being taken away.

The man in front of me began swearing at me in Spanish, and waving his gun at me, and ordering me once again to get in the car.

Once again I said no.

"If you're going to shoot, you'd better shoot now," I yelled at him in a moment of God-ordained boldness, "because I'm not getting in that car!"

At the same time, in another act of God-ordained brazenness, I began to elbow the man behind me in the ribs. I could hear him grunting as I hit him again and again in the ribs.

Suddenly, the man in front of me grabbed for my light-blue backpack. He assumed that, as a gringo, I probably had a wallet, money, credit cards, a laptop, or other items of value inside.

He was dead wrong.

My English students had just taken an exam, and so all I had inside my backpack was a stack of exam papers that I needed to grade.

The man in front of me began to fight with me for my backpack, and all of a sudden the backpack strap broke. The man grabbed the backpack and ran back to the waiting car as I stumbled backward. The man behind me, seeing that I was unsteady, and also seeing that a car was coming down the street toward us, suddenly grabbed me and threw me into the street in front of the speedily advancing car. At the last second I rolled to the side of the road, narrowly avoiding being hit by the speeding car.

The three attempted kidnappers sped away in their car. I assume they were none too happy when they opened my backpack, only to discover a bunch of English exams inside, and nothing else of any value. Maybe they all speak English now.

I wound up with a broken arm in the attempted kidnapping, the result of my arm smashing onto the pavement when the man behind me threw me into the street. I was in a heavy, old-fashioned plaster cast for over a month. I still have it today as a souvenir.

As I reflect on that night 5 years ago, I remember that all throughout the vicious attack I had a vision of angels and demons fighting each other in the dark Lima skies above us. I also think of various verses in Psalm 91:

Psalm 91:5 (TNIV) - "You will not fear the terror of night ...."

Psalm 91:11 (TNIV) - "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."

Psalm 91:14 (TNIV) - "'Because they love me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue them ....'"

Psalm 91:15 (TNIV) - "I will be with them in trouble ...."

Pastoral and mission work is not easy, and at times it is downright life-threatening. I know that all too well, and from vivid experience. But on July 8, 2005, even in the most of a life-threatening kidnapping attempt, I was dwelling in the shelter of the Most High, and resting in the shadow of the Almighty.

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Glue

US playwright Eugene O'Neill (1888-1953) - "Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue."

2 Corinthians 12:9 (TNIV) - "But (the Lord) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

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Freedom

It's the beginning of the July 4th weekend here in the USA, when Americans celebrate their freedom and independence.

It's also a good time to remember what God's Word tells us about nations and their freedom.

In Psalm 33:12, David sings, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord ...."

In 2 Corinthians 3:17, Paul writes to the church of God in Corinth, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

That's what true freedom is all about.

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God's Investment Portfolio

The Dow Jones Industrial Average in the USA keeps falling. Unemployment keeps rising. It is very difficult to find work. The Euro keeps falling, too, and several European economies are basket cases. The price of gold and silver keeps rising as people invest in precious metals as a hedge against worldwide economic uncertainty.

All across the globe, people are fretting and worrying and stressing about falling markets and deteriorating economies. Factories, stores, and banks are closing. Investment portfolios, savings accounts, and retirement funds are thinning. People everywhere are very nervous.

But God is not.

God's investment portfolio is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He isn't rocked when He picks up the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times or the Times of London (or whatever newspaper He has on His iPad in heaven) and reads what's going on. God's not shocked by the global economic turndown, and He isn't going online to cash in His remaining shares.

God is the owner of "every animal in the forest" (Psalm 50:10) and "the cattle on a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10), and He also declares that all "the silver is mine and the gold is mine" (Haggai 2:8).

God's not worried about the current global economic turndown.

And if He's not worrying about it, neither should you.

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Enemies

Winston Churchill once observed, "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."

Bill Cosby once commented, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:22 (TNIV), "Everyone will hate you because of me ..." and He also told them in John 16:33 (TNIV), "In this world you will have trouble."

A man is known not just by his friends, but also - and perhaps more importantly so - by his enemies.

Who are your enemies?

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Dallas Cowboys

Back in April of this year, my wife, Dorcas, and I had the opportunity to travel to Dallas, Texas, USA for the very first time. We had a great time in Dallas. We visited the Sixth Floor Museum at the site of the old Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza, where former U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. We visited Southfork Ranch, where the famous 1980s TV series "Dallas" was filmed. We spent a wonderful Sunday at The Potter's House, where Bishop T.D. Jakes serves as pastor.

We also had the opportunity to tour the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium, and it was an amazing place to see. The new Cowboy Stadium cost around one billion dollars to build, and it features the largest HD TV screens in the world. The stadium is absolutely jaw-dropping to tour. It could qualify as one of the new wonders of the world.

We were reminded of our visit to Cowboy Stadium recently when a local pastor told us how he had gone to Dallas to speak at a Christian men's conference there, and some of the Dallas Cowboys players were in attendance. Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, and Keith Brooking all were at the conference. It is exciting to hear how God is working in each of their lives. Please keep all three players in prayer.

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Be Still

"Be still, and know that I am God ...."

That's what our Heavenly Father commands in Psalm 46:10.

Are you able to do that?

Are you able to be still?

Or do the stresses, pressures, tensions, deadlines, responsibilities, challenges, and competitiveness of life make you race 100 miles an hour, 24/7/365?

God wants us to slow down to the point of absolute stillness.

It is a commandment.

Don't speed up.

Slow down.

Be still.

Recognize God's sovereignty, omnipotence, and omnipresence.

It's something that you can only do when you are still.

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Still

In Exodus 14:14 (NIV), Moses and the Israelites are standing, panic-stricken, on the shores of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh's horsemen, horses, and chariots in hot pursuit behind them. The Israelites don't know where to go or what to do. They feel trapped, and they believe that a certain watery doom is just moments away.

Then Moses speaks God-ordained words to them:

"The Lord will fight for you," Moses tells the millions of Israelites gathered on the shores of the Red Sea, "you need only to be still."

Moments later, God parts the Red Sea, Moses and the millions of Israelites cross over safely, and then Pharaoh's horsemen, horses, and chariots are consumed by the waves.

Can you be still when the waves of torment surround you?

Or do you flail and fight away, relying only on your own strength and power?

Stop flailing away, needlessly expending energy.

Let God fight for you. Be still.

Victory is assured.

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Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson was the first African-American baseball player of the modern era. He broke baseball's color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson wore number 42 on the back of his Dodger uniform, and that number now has been retired by Major League Baseball.

Jackie Robinson died in 1972 at the relatively young age of 53. On Robinson's tombstone is the following quote:

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

What other lives are you impacting today?

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Never Give Up

Winston Churchill is famous for saying, "Never, never, never give up."

Tom Petty is famous for singing, "I won't back down."

James, the brother of Jesus, is famous for writing that "the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Never give up. You can tell a lot about a man by what it takes to make him quit.

"I'll keep this world from draggin' me down, gonna stand my ground, and I won't back down," Tom Petty sings in his great song called "I Won't Back Down." He continues, "In a world that keeps on pushin' me around, but I'll stand my ground, and I won't back down."

Never give up. Don't back down. Persevere. It all eventually leads to success.

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God Of The Last Moment

Sometimes God is the God of the last moment.

He was with Abraham and Isaac, when He let Abraham build an altar on Mount Moriah, arrange wood on it, bind Isaac to it, and raise a knife in his hand to sacrifice Isaac, all before God arranged for an angel to stop Abraham and to offer a ram as a sacrifice instead of Isaac.

He did it with Moses and the Israelites, when He let them reach the shores of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen in hot pursuit behind them, before He miraculously parted the Red Sea waters, allowing Moses and the Israelites to escape, and Pharaoh's horsemen and horses to drown.

He did it through Jesus with Lazarus, when He allowed Lazarus to die, and to be dead for four days, before Jesus miraculously raised him from the dead.

Sometimes He does it with us, too.

Sometimes God allows us to reach a crisis point in our lives or our churches or our ministries, when we are facing a deadline or decision and all we see is the clock running down and time running short. Sometimes we feel boxed in and trapped, with nowhere to run to and nowhere to hide, and with time and options seemingly both running out.

But God is still there. The clock never reads "00:00" for God. Just when you think that you are out of time, money, and options, God steps in and saves the day, and many times in a way, or by using certain people, that we never would have imagined. Sometimes He does this, I believe, to remind us of the fact that He is God, omnipotent and omnipresent. Sometimes we forget that, no matter who we are or what we do.

Sometimes God is the God of the last moment.

But sometimes the last moment is His perfect timing.

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Brevity

On November 19, 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

It took Lincoln all of 2 minutes to read his famous address.

Just prior to Lincoln's speech, Edward Everett spoke at the Gettysburg event. Everett was a U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Governor of Massachusetts, Vice Presidential candidate, and President of Harvard University.

Everett spoke for 2 hours.

Edward Everett spoke for 2 hours at the Gettysburg dedication, and Abraham Lincoln spoke for 2 minutes.

Lincoln's 2-minute Gettysburg Address is now one of the most famous speeches in history.

Nobody remembers a word that Everett said.

The lesson to be learned here: you don't have to speak for a long time to be effective. There is merit to brevity.

Mark Twain once humorously noted, "Few sinners are saved after the first 20 minutes of a sermon."

Be brief and be effective. Just like Abraham Lincoln.

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