"She's not a prostitute..."

At one time an individual had the opportunity to visit some of his friends who lived in a very large city in the United States. Everyone in this circle of friends was a Christian, and these city friends had a rather unorthodox ministry.

They desired to minister to people who for whatever reason or another were on the street, so their weekly ritual was simply to walk up and down a given neighborhood and familiarize themselves with the people that were there. While they were doing this, they would pray for opportunities to witness about Jesus, to minister, or simply just to serve others in some way.

The visitor noticed several interesting things as his friends pointed some things out to him. First of all, walk slowly, they said. Next, walk close to the curb, they advised. Another thing they told him was to make sure to stay out of alleyways that could be dangerous. Finally, they said, be careful to note gang colors to understand gang turf and the like.

The visitor noticed a woman on one of the curbs who was very scantily clad. He asked one of his friends when they were out of her earshot, "Was she a prostitute?"

There was a long, somewhat awkward, pause from this friend.

Finally, he said, "She's not a prostitute...she is a person....caught in prostitution."

Let us remember this day to have a heart for others, just as this group of friends on that night, for the "Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve." (Mark 10:45)

We Could Learn a Lot From....

Charles Stanley
------------------------



For those of you who may not have heard of Charles Stanley, he is has been a long-time pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta and is the founder of In Touch Ministries. He is not a perfect man, as no one is, but his insights into the Christian faith have helped countless people in their growth and maturity. Several of his quotes include the following:

Only God knows fully what is required for wholeness because only God knows fully what it means to be whole, perfect, and complete. Only God knows what is missing in our lives because only God sees the total picture.

All of our needs are secondary to our need to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, to be born again spiritually, and to live in right relationship with God our Father.

True contentment lies not in having, but in knowing---of knowing that you are accepted, loved, forgiven, and valued in spite of what you may or may not have in your hands or surrounding you.

God wants a walking-and-talking relationship with you. Your appearance, your status before others, and your performance matter little to God. He is concerned about the state of your heart and your innermost desires for eternal things.

Omarosa headed to Seminary!

Wow...I just read that Omarosa is now heading to study at a United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH to become a Pastor. Known for her villianous ways and antics on reality T.V. shows, she has more recently been a goodwill ambassador and has done work for the homeless and poor in Haiti. According to Ivan Hicks, the school's associate dean for African-American studies, this reputation she has for both good and bad will help her as a minister because people will be able to relate to her. It's interesting that she has chosen this route as I myself did not even know that she was a Christian. However, we must remember that God has used many imperfect people before and can use the "foolish things of this world to confound the wise." (1Corinthians 1:27) I wish her all the best and my thoughts and prayers go out to her.

Quote of the Week #10

"Yes, God can use cracked vessels!" ---Joyce Meyer

Although many times I don't watch the big time T.V. evangelists such as Joel Osteen or Joyce Meyer, sometimes they have some good little tidbits of knowledge to say. Ms. Meyer relates the following story:

A water bearer in India had two large pots hanging at the ends of a pole that he carried across his neck. One of the pots was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The other pot had a crack in it, and by the time it reached its destination, it was only half full. Every day for two years the water bearer delivered only one and one-half pots of water to the master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments—perfect to the end for which it was made. The poor little cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfections and miserable that it could accomplish only half of what it had been designed to do. After two years of what the imperfect pot perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer and said, "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer, "What are you ashamed of?"

"Well, for these past two years, I have been able to deliver only half a load of water each day because this crack in my side allows water to leak out all the way back to the master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work without getting the full value of your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot noticed the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because half of its load had leaked out once again.

Then the bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path and not on the other pot's side? That's because I've always known about your flaw and took advantage of it by planting flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day as we walked back from the stream, you watered those seeds, and for two years I have picked these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just what you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his house." So you see, even with warts and all, we need to stay positive and keep praying for opportunities for God to use us!

Christian quotes from early politicians, including Founding Fathers

There's been a lot of debate over the last several years about whether the Founding Fathers and other early politicians were really Christians or not. There are many who say that they were atheists, many that say they were deists, and many who say that indeed, yes, they were Christians. Well, the answer to this question is that we don't really know. Only God knows the heart of these great men and (yes) the women that also helped them behind the scenes. What we do know from their writings is that most of these men did have a strong belief in God or some higher power of that nature. As promised, here are some quotes from them on this 233rd 4th of July:

George Washington
1st U.S. President

"While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian."

John Adams
2nd U.S. President and Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God ... What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be."

"The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."
--Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever."
--Adams wrote this in a letter to his wife, Abigail, on July 3, 1776.

Thomas Jefferson
3rd U.S. President, Drafter and Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ."

Benjamin Franklin
Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Unites States Constitution
"Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped.

That the most acceptable service we render to him is in doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever sect I meet with them.

As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, is the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see;

But I apprehend it has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most of the present dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity; though it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the truth with less trouble. I see no harm, however, in its being believed, if that belief has the good consequence, as probably it has, of making his doctrines more respected and more observed; especially as I do not perceive, that the Supreme takes it amiss, by distinguishing the unbelievers in his government of the world with any peculiar marks of his displeasure."
--Benjamin Franklin wrote this in a letter to Ezra Stiles, President of Yale University on March 9, 1790.

James Madison
4th U.S. President

"Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ."

There are a lot more quotes and they can be found at http://christianity.about.com/od/independenceday/a/foundingfathers.htm

Minstering to people with AIDS

Joseph "Jody" Grieb is the director of a rich ministry to those who are afflicted with HIV and the AIDS virus. He coordinates this ministry through the Disciples Home Missions, which is in itself a ministry of the Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Terre Haute, IN and Indianapolis areas. This very useful ministry is very creative, providing AIDS testing and other support from an unassuming ordinary-looking van, called the DEBI van, pictured here:



This ministry often travels to provide their free HIV testing services as well. You can read more about Mr. Grieb's ministry on his blog at http://amndhm.blogspot.com/

Swallow Hill and Rap to Roots

*Michael Schenkelberg looks on as Jamaica Hines, 11, raps for an audience on an academic subject...


Although this is not what I normally post about there is a pilot program being attempted in the Denver Public Schools that is quite interesting. This program, which is called Rap to Roots, is an idea that is long, long overdue. Instead of the original version of rap music, which has difficulties in being degrading to women and promoting violence, in this program elementary students rap about certain school subjects in order to help them learn. For example, the young boy in this picture might be rapping about Shakespeare (think Shakespeare was a mellow fellow who wrote Othello!), Abraham Lincoln, or he might be memorizing his multiplication tables-all through the use of rap songs! This very useful program, of course, depends on funding and on whether a grant for next year can come through. You can voice your support by going onto Swallow Hill Records, which Mr. Schenkelberg is the director of, and sending them an email (http://www.swallowhillmusic.org) To read the article, go to http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12340733.

Interesting Want Ad, Circa 1796

View of the City and Harbour of New York, 1796, by Charles-Balthazar-Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin.

I came across this advertisement, circa 1796, in one of my old Christian books.

Wanted for a sober family,
a man of Light weight, who
fears the Lord and can drive
a pair of horses. He must
occassionally wait at table,
join in household prayer, look after
horses and read a chapter in the
Bible. He must, God willing, rise at
7 in the morning, and obey his
master and mistress in all lawful
commands; if he can dress hair, sing psalms
and play cribbage, the more agreeable.
N.B. he must not be familiar with the maid
servants, lest the flesh should rebel
against the spirit and he should be induced
to walk in the thorny paths of the wicked.
Wages 15 Guineas a month (about $7 a month)

It's interesting how times have changed since then, sometimes not for the better.

Ministering to lepers

*Kelvin McDaniel and his wife Anita are missionaries to those with Hansen's disease (leprosy) and other people groups around the world. This is going to be part of a larger segment in which we talk about missionaries and their work in ministering to certain people groups. Kelvin's brother, Randy, will be the subject of a God Story on this blog in the near future.


This individual to the right of Mr. McDaniel is definitely not very pleasing to the eyes. However, this individual suffers from an anomaly called Hansen's disease, better known as leprosy. This individual comes from a culture that is very deeply rooted in the Hindu religion. Lepers in Hindu communities, much like lepers in Christ's day, are sadly deemed as outcasts and are banished from their families. The reason is that it is thought in Hindu belief that there leprosy is evidence of a wicked and sinful previous life and thus they are then thrown out of their homes after the disease is discovered. But the fantastic thing about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He will accept everyone, including those that society has forgot, like this man with leprosy. Once someone comes to Jesus and asks for his forgiveness, they will immediately realize that God is not a respecter of persons and does not discriminate. We are just as important to God as a leper or former child molester is to God and vice versa! If you are a committed Christian and come across this blog, please pray for the work that is being done to help those afflicted with Hansen's disease both spirtually and physically.

Quote of the Week #5

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

-Lewis B. Smedes

The fifth quote is very important because if a person fails to forgive a person, then it can lead to bitterness. Bitterness in turn can lead to hate, and hate can lead to the taking of someone else's life. As Christians, we are called to be people of peace, so forgiveness is one of the most important things we can do. It's not about getting even; it's about forgiving that person and then their power on you is taken away. Although I am definitely getting there, there is still much work to be done. I am still learning this.

Quote of the Week #4

*****proof that God has a sense of humor!*****



My fourth quote will address the evolutionism/creationism debate. Yes, I am a Creationist, because when you take God out of the equation things can get rather rocky rather fast. The reason? Well, when you look at the societal ethics that we have that regulate our world and hold it into place, such as what is against the law and what is not, what is considered a felony (Murder) and what is considered a misdemeanor (DUI, etc.), and other areas of jurisprudence, the whole system of right and wrong would be difficult to explain and to justify if God did not exist. Who is to say that it is not acceptable practice for one to murder another if God did not exist. We all might as well live fast and die young if God was make-believe! The quote is this: All the ills from which America suffers can be traced to the teaching of Evolution by American politician William Jennings Bryan

Religious people less anxious....

I recently read a really interesting article at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,506004,00.html that touched on how people who are Christians or even otherwise religious have less anxiety in their lives. The study, which was conducted by Professor Michael Inzlicht of Toronto University, involved hooking people up to electrodes to measure their brain activity. The study indicated that these who even just professed a belief in God had different reactions to a potentially stressful activity than those who did not profess a belief in God. Pretty interesting study!

She still said yes

As we have now passed the 10th anniversary of the terrible massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, we need to remember the story of Cassie Bernall. Even though there is now doubt whether she actually was questioned by the gunman as to her belief in the existence of God, she still said yes by her choices in life.* She is an example of how people can change when the power of God is behind it. Did she actually say yes verbally? Probably not. But the most important thing is that she very easily could have started down the path that those two young men started down had she not accepted Him.







*There is evidence to indicate that this exchange actually occurred between the gunman and a girl named Valeen Schnurr, who survived the massacre.

Quote of the Week #2

Yes, yes I know that a week has not went by yet but I will probably have more QotW's than weeks on this blog...here's my next one, and this lesson is one that I have had to learn the hard way: 90% of your life is how you react to the other 10%, or the events in your life. This means that you choose how to deal with different situations that are frustrating to you. No one is holding a gun to your head and telling you to abuse drugs or alcohol, be verbally abusive, be in a bad mood, or beat yourself up and have poor self esteem...yes, being positive is a learned behavior, but it is also a CHOICE. Stay positive, and don't do anything to harm yourself or others. Talk to someone about it and get it off your chest.


There is a new song out by Country Music Artist Darryl Worley that I really like and here are the lyrics:

Got a call last night from an old friends wife, said, I hate to bother you
But Johnny Ray fell off the wagon, hed been gone all afternoon
Well, I know my buddy, so I drove to Scullys and found him at the bar
Said, Hey Man, whats goin on, He said, I dont know where to start
Sarah's old car startin to fall apart and the washer quit last week
We had to put Mama in the nursing home and the baby's cuttin teeth

Sounds Like Life To Me
I didnt get much work this week and I got bills to pay
I said, I know this aint what you wanna hear but its what Im gonna say
Sounds like life to me, it aint no fantasy
It just a common case of everyday reality
Man, I know its tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk youre caught up in some tragedy
It sounds like life to me

Well, his face turned red and he shook his head
He said, you dont understand, three kids and a wife depend on me
And Im just one man, top it off we just found out that Sarahs two months late
I said, Hey, bartender, set us up a round, we gotta celebrate
Sounds like life to me, aint no destiny
Yeah, the only thing for certain is uncertainty
You gotta hold on tight, just enjoy the ride
Get used to all this unpredictability, sounds like life
Man, I know its tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk youre caught up in some tragedy
Sounds like life to me (sounds like life to me)
Sounds like life

Annoying Junk E-Mails

Don't those emails that you probably get that say that a diplomat has a million dollars to give you really annoy you? Well, I usually reply to them and say something to this affect:

Dear Mr. So and So,

I have never met you before and I am not sure why you are compelled to live the life of a con artist in this fashion but you need to have the power of God in your life. I will pray for you to receive Christ as your personal Savior and to leave this life of sin behind.

Regards,

Vaden Chandler

Of course, the less time-comsuming method is just to click the delete button...

Kudos for honesty!

I read a really interesting article about a woman who cashed in some gold coins at face value. Well, it turns out that the gold coins are worth a lot more than just face value and they are trying to find the woman. Kudos to all the honest people in the world!

http://www.abc4.com/mostpopular/story/Woman-tries-to-buy-groceries-with-gold-coins-then/xOmnvx-yFUSOG9KOFOlq4g.cspx

Brave Pastor (?)

Has anyone else been following the story about the Pro Life Pastor in Union City California? I definitely think the man is brave for standing to his convictions and even going to jail for them. It is good that someone is standing for the rights of the unborn. It's unfortunate that abortion even has to be necessary or an issue. I wish that President Obama would pass some laws to encourage adoption and make it easier for those who want to adopt but I don't expect it anytime soon. What is your take on it?