March 11th, 2010 | 
Author: Have you ever heard a spouse say, “She’s a keeper” or “He’s a keeper?” Of course you have. This is a common expression. Parents will say the same thing about a child, “He’s a keeper” or “She’s a keeper.” The idea behind this expression is: I really enjoy my spouse or child. I think I’ll keep him or her around. Often this idiom is used by a person who has trouble communicating his or her feelings. So by stating, “She’s a keeper” or “He’s a keeper,” such a person is able to communicate love without having to articulate the phrase, “I love you.”
Source: Keith Krell
Abstract
How does God describe the ideal follower? First, they are teachable. That means that we listen to and obey God’s instructions through His Word and His servant-leaders. Second, the ideal follower prays regularly for those they follow. Certainly we would be fools to neglect to pray for the leaders we’re commanded to obey! And finally, the ideal follower is prepared and equipped for their journey with the Lord. This involves not only knowing what God’s will is for us, but embracing it and practicing it on a daily basis. How teachable are you?
Source: Jeff Miller
This past week I attended a conference in New Orleans (or as the natives call it “Naw-lins”). Yesterday afternoon, my return flight out of New Orleans was delayed. By the time we finally took off for Dallas/ Fort Worth we were over an hour behind schedule. I was pretty confident I wasn’t going to make my connecting flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Seattle. We touched down in Dallas/ Fort Worth at 4:15. By the time I finally got off the plane it was 4:30—the exact time my flight was supposed to depart!
Source: Keith Krell
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Have you ever been on a long family road trip? I have. When I was growing up, my family took a great many road trips. The two most memorable were six week cross-country jaunts across the US. Yes, that’s right: Our family of four packed into a small Subaru wagon … and not once but twice. My parents planned the trip and would pack food, clothing, and everything else we needed. I didn’t pack anything except my Sony Walkman and a few books. My Dad was the driver and my Mom was the navigator.
Source: Keith Krell
Life is filled with choices and every choice has consequences. In grammar school, a student who befriends an unpopular boy or girl will lose friends and be made fun of. In high school, a student who refuses to give up his or her virginity will lose dates and be laughed at. In the workplace, if you live a life of integrity you’ll be passed over for a promotion. In the senior years, if you invest your time and money in the church you’ll miss out on various memories and material possessions.
Source: Keith Krell
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What do you want from a church? If you’re like most people, you want dynamic preaching, awe-inspiring worship, and great ministries for children, teens, and adults. You want the whole kit and kaboodle. Yet, most Christians have a pet preference in what they want from a church. For me, it’s preaching. When I was eighteen years old, I began listening to Dr. Tony Evans preach expository sermons.1 As a result, I fell in love with God’s Word and biblical preaching.
Source: Keith Krell
My wife Lori enjoys gardening. Over the years, she has planted all kinds of fruits and vegetables. As an observer, I can tell you there is a science and an art to what she does. She must cultivate the soil, plant the seeds, and nurture the crops. Yet, no matter how well Lori does, she can lose a crop to spring rains that rot the seed, slugs that eat new shoots, and deer that devour everything. She may even lose a crop because of a sudden burst of extreme heat.
Source: Keith Krell
Hezekiah 6:1 says, “God helps those who help themselves.” Can I get an amen? Perhaps a “Preach it, brother?” No? Why not?! “This is not a biblical citation,” you reply. You are correct. Despite what many Christians think, “God helps those who help themselves” is likely the most often quoted phrase that isn’t in the Bible. This saying is usually attributed to Ben Franklin, quoted in Poor Richard’s Almanac (1757).
Source: Keith Krell
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Hezekiah 6:1 says, “God helps those who help themselves.” Can I get an amen? Perhaps a “Preach it, brother?” No? Why not?! “This is not a biblical citation,” you reply. You are correct. Despite what many Christians think, “God helps those who help themselves” is likely the most often quoted phrase that isn’t in the Bible. This saying is usually attributed to Ben Franklin, quoted in Poor Richard’s Almanac (1757).
Source: Keith Krell
If you follow the “Share Your Story” section on our new vision website, vision.sojournchurch.com, you’ll see an ever-growing list of short testimonies about what God has done for people through the Sojourn community, from Sojourn members and from church planters. We hope you’ll add your testimony too, at the “Share Your Story” link above. Here are excerpts from this past week:
Mandy Groce:
My friends let me know that my concerns over the state of the world, our nation in particular, had started to be seen as anxiety. I am so thankful for a community that spurs me on to pray for my leaders without losing hope in my one true king.
Hilary Noltemeyer:
When Willow was born a couple months later, we had only attended Sojourn a few times, but the outpouring of support and love was crazy! We had meals provided for us, people we had never met were calling to check on us, to see what they could do to help. Now she wasn’t the only kid, but she was the 1st baby and none of us, especially me, knew what we were doing. However, that didn’t stop the love and support that flowed from strangers to support us in our time of need.
Simon Groce:
Reading through the Old Testament, God repeatedly calls us to care for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. James 1:27 tells us that “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress”. Through SEED, Sojourn Counseling and the growing Adoption Ministry, Sojourn has seen many orphans adopted, widows provided for, and the hurting embraced. Praise God!
And check out these photos, from among the 50+ that Sojourners have already uploaded to our “I Want New” section of vision.sojournchurch.com. Then go tour the whole photo gallery (NOTE that the photo gallery on the site is Flash-based. To view it, make sure that Flash is installed on your computer, and you’re using a platform that can support Flash):
Share and Enjoy:
Source: BobbyGilles
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