He has a way of making the worse appear the better reason; he can put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter—make men believe that it is to their own advantage to do that which is causing their everlasting ruin. He can make men carry coals of fire in their bosoms, and dream that they shall not be burned; he can make them dance pon the brink of hell as though they were on the verge of heaven. Alas! fools that we re how readily do his lies prevail against us! - C.H. Spurgeon
Posted by Walt as C.H. Spurgeon Gems, Witnessing at 8:16 AM EDT
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by Thomas E. Brewton
Real success is following God's will, not making lots of money.
Sunday's sermon at the Long Ridge Congregational Church (non-UCC) in North Stamford, Connecticut, was delivered by Rev. Steve Treash. His message dealt with success in the things that really matter.
While confidence is, by some measures, thought to be the best predictor of academic and business success, it too easily becomes exclusively self-confidence. As with Peter's wanting to walk across the water to meet Jesus, that sort of confidence falters the moment we take our eyes off Jesus as our savior. We begin to sink and can be saved only by calling for the Lord's help.
True success in this life is doing God's will to the best of our abilities.
The Old Testament story of Joseph in Egypt illustrates the right kind of confidence that leads to success.
Joseph had endured a string of grave misfortunes. His older brothers resented his ostentatiously seeking to be their father's favorite son. The brothers took his bright coat and threw Joseph into a well, intending to leave him there to die. When a caravan bound for Egypt appeared, the brothers hauled Joseph out of the well and sold him to the caravan merchants as a slave.
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Posted by Walt as The Bible, Witnessing at 10:46 PM EDT
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by Thomas E. Brewton
It's not what we expect, but what God wants.
The Palm Sunday sermon at the Long Ridge Congregational Church (non-UCC) in North Stamford, Connecticut, was delivered by Rev. Kevin Butterfield. His text was John 12:12-15.
The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!" [Save us]
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."
The feast of the Passover was a joyous occasion for the Israelites at any time. But for the great crowd following Jesus into Jerusalem and rushing out of the city to greet him, there was an almost delirious expectation that Jesus was about to become their earthly king who would deliver them from the rule and taxes of Rome.
The problem for those people was not the Romans, but themselves. They had drifted far from the real spirit of the Mosaic covenant between God and the people of Israel.
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Posted by Walt as The Bible at 10:22 PM EDT
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