Each Day Already is a Challenge

And two for today too

Don't get used to this. It's NOT going to be an every day thing.

Today was another research day, but this time was for the church. I'm still trying to find blurbs about small groups/fellowship, being a servant of God, Christian maturity, prayer, devotions, community, tithing and evangelism. So...if you have something short that fits any of those categories or can point me to some wise words, do tell.

At our small group on Sunday night (and hubby's last night) we talked about what small obstacles we face as Christians in the US as compared to Christians in other parts of the world. I think the women's group spoke a bit more about martyrs.

And in my searching today, I discovered something a pastor from India wrote. He's Pastor Paul Ciniraj. His whole mini-sermon can be seen here: http://www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons/folder2/MY%20BANNER%20IS%20CLEAR.ht...

Here's what got me. The beginning starts with, "I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the power of the Holy Spirit. They dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of Jesus. I won't look back, let up, slow down or be still."

It ends with these words: "I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I have a great hope of His coming back. So I preach till all know and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me, for my banner is clear!!!"

Wow. You know, if just a few of us had had that kind of strength, our country might not be in the shape that it's in today. We might have stood up and said, "No! You will not take the teaching of moral behavior out of our schools. You will NOT teach that every kid can just do his/her own thing and define his/her own truth. It is wrong to kill and to steal and our kids need to know that. It's wrong to treat people badly, it's wrong to have fist fights in school, and it's wrong to be disrespectful of teachers." Maybe if we had stood our ground on these kinds of things, we wouldn't be shaking our heads and saying, "Tssk, tssk, tssk. I wonder how things got this way."

Anyway, do click on the link above and read the whole mini-sermon. Then print it out - like I did - and put it on the wall where you can read it again.

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I had a few emails about reading through the Bible in a year by just reading 15 minutes a day. Some said that it depends on how fast one reads. That's certainly true. I read FAST. I zip through books. If you've never read through the entire Bible, or if it's been a while since you did, maybe now is the time to start again.

Our pastor hands out "Parson Larsen's Quiet Time Notebook" that shows how he reads through the Bible. Each day, he provides two New and two Old Testament readings. He reads Monday through Thursday, making notes, then re-reads his notes and selected passages on Friday, then reviews and rests on Saturday and Sunday.

If you'd like to start today reading through the Bible, here's where he would suggest you start:
Matthew 1
Acts 1:1-11
Psalms 1-2
Genesis 1-3

That's week one in "Parson Larsen's Quiet Time Notebook."

Now...I don't think I'll be back again tonight. Three entries in one day would be a bit much.


I keep forgetting to share. My sister (she's 6 years younger than me), got promoted with Dow Chemical again. Now she's a Corporate Vice President. Before she was just a regular vp. Whatever that means. Here's the latest about her: http://www.dow.com/corpgov/leader/dudley.htm