For the Sake of a Friend by Ron Phillips

For the Sake of a Friend

by pastorron2013

Someone once gave this little nugget of wisdom about friendships:

“Choose your friends wisely… you are who they are.”

Throughout my ministry and more times than I care to remember, I have spoken and counseled people whodon’t believe the truth of that simple sentence. “It’s ok pastor. I know they are somewhat of a bad influence, but I don’t let that affect me”. That mantra can be seen written on prison walls and tombstones throughout history. If you don’t think who your friends are matters…

Tell it to the distraught mother whose son is now serving 5 to 10 years because he just happened to be with some “gangbangers” when one of them decided to break the law…

Tell it to the grieving parents who are picking out their daughter’s casket because she got into a car with a friend who had been drinking…

Tell it to the third of the angels who now sit condemned for following Lucifer (Satan) when he rebelled against the Most High God.

However, when we choose our friends based on solid, Godly principles, creative power can flow from that unity.

We can find God’s image in the marriage bond between a man and a woman. We can experience His multiplied blessings when, instead of blessing “me” as an individual, He blesses “us”, as friends working together for His kingdom.

Still don’t believe me? Take Abraham for example…

In spite of moments of doubt and disobedience, at the end of the day (and in multiple places in Scripture), Abraham was referred to as “the friend of God”. Because of the friendships that Abraham made, favor and prosperity were released in his life. Abraham discovered the lasting qualities of friendship, and he applied them to his relationship with God.

Abraham discovered that there are friendships that are stronger than family ties. While God always intended for the family to be the ideal, the family is also where sin first entered the world. God called Abraham out from his father’s house (Genesis 12:1), and even at that, many of the problems that Abraham experienced were due to his selfish young nephew, Lot. But still, there are other examples…

We know nothing about Paul’s family, but we know who Barnabas, Silas, Aquila, Priscilla, and Phoebe were…
We know very little about David’s relationship with his brothers, but know a lot about his relationship with Jonathan…

You can probably name many of Jesus’ disciples. Can you name any of his brothers or sisters?

While I don’t mean to disparage the family unit at all, as Christians, we have another family: a spiritual one. Sometimes that family can provide us with the support a physical one cannot.

Abraham gave up a lot to follow Jehovah. Abraham knew that true friendships are worth sacrificing our own personal security. Archaeological excavations have shown that the land of Ur, where Abraham was from, was very beautiful and technologically advanced for its day (indoor gardens, stone houses, indoor plumbing, etc.).

However, Abraham was willing to give it all up for the sake of his Divine Friend. Who is the Godly friend that you have that, if they called you up and said, “Let’s go fight Hell with water pistols”, you would say “I’m in!” – no questions asked? I have some friends like that… do you?

Abraham understood that trust is essential in deep, intimate friendship. He believed what God told him, and acted on it. If we are to enjoy real friendship with others, we must have friends we can trust. Words must be followed by integrity. Flaws must be covered by trustworthiness. Secrets must be safe so hearts can be an open book. Friendship is only as deep as the level of trust in a relationship. Abraham’s trust was more important to God than Abraham’s perfection. The Bible says that his trust in God was “credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

I recently heard a story about two young co-workers. As Sandy was leaving work, David was arriving. Sandy said, “You are not going to BELIEVE what happened today… I’ve got to go home and put this on Facebook!” David said, “What happened?”, to which Sandy just said, “Oh… you’ll have to read about it.” David said, “After that, I deleted my Facebook account.” David understood that, when things reach a point where we cannot communicate face-to-face, but instead hide behind text messages, emails, and social media pages, someone has to step up and say, “ENOUGH!” The greatest gift you can give someone else is yourself — live and in-person. Relationships cannot exist in memos and emails. Real friendship is what it takes to build a team… face-to-face and heart-to-heart. This is life’s greatest reward: building and maintaining friendships. Abraham Lincoln once said that, “The better part of one’s life consists of his friendships.”

In Genesis 15:1, God wanted Abraham to understand this when He said, “I am… thy exceeding great reward.” God shows us, through His relationship with Abraham, that friendship maintains open communication, that true friendship carries the highest value, and that the ultimate reward is to have an intimate relationship with Him.

So, with all of that said, what is the real test of friendship?

The real test comes when the relationship costs you something dear. In Abraham’s case, the ultimate test came when God told him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac (Genesis 22). Through Abraham’s willingness to trust that God knew what He was doing, and by surrendering to His command, Isaac was spared, and Abraham received the astounding message of the resurrection… a resurrection that happened when Jesus gave up His life for the sake of friendship with us. Jesus was the example of the friend who holds nothing back.

So… do you bring these qualities to your friendships? Will you seek to enrich the soil in your circle of friendship by fertilizing these positive character traits? A treasure chest of nourishment and reward is waiting to satisfy your desire for love and fellowship. Will you use these keys to unlock it?

There’s no time like the present to get started! What are you waiting for?

Encouragement for those who think they are a "nobody"

When I was in the ninth grade at Boaz High School, we had to learn a poem by Emily Dickinson that included the verse, "I am a nobody, who are you? Are you a nobody, too? Then there's a pair of us - don't tell.  They'd banish us you know."

I vehemently opposed the message of that classic poem because there are "nobodies."

But as I ponder it many years later, I have felt at times like a "nobody" and I'm sure most of us have.

For those who feel that, there is good news from Jesus.  There are many who Jesus used who were "less than the most popular, best looking and most likely to succeed."  Look at three of the twelve apostles chosen by our Lord:

*  Thaddaeus - his name "Breast Child" which most likely means he was the runt in his family.  He most likely wrestled often with a poor self image, yet Jesus found him worthy.

*  James the less - how you would love to be identified as such?  We know nothing more about him than this.  Not an impressive resume is it?  unless Jesus is your boss.

* Simon the Zealot - which identifies him with his political party forever.  His radical social agenda couldn't possibly be used for spiritual reasons or in the church, could it?  Yes, if Jesus is the one "beating your drums."

So if you struggle with a poor self image or think you are a "nobody," take heart - you are a prime candidate for a follower of Jesus!!!  Now that is a somebody.

The Sabbath: The Promise Part II

1. Rest is the starting place for the Gospel each day.

We are not saved by grace and kept saved by works.  We are free from the need to earn our salvation or pay God back by our works.

We serve in love through the spiritual gifting and empowering of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 4:3  “The works are finished from the foundation of the world.”

The Sabbath means God rested from His creation.  He didn’t have to keep going back for minor revisions or to fix flaws.  His work was complete and perfect.

By the power of His Word it is upheld.  Jesus holds all things together.

If Jesus is holding this creation together, don’t you think He can still hold your salvation together?

Phil 1:6  - “He that started a good work in me will see it to completion”

We are to rest in faith in God like God did at creation.  He knew he had set something in motion that was destined to come to pass.

We work from rest.  It doesn’t mean we don’t work.  But we work from rest - not to get something -  but we already have something in us.

Stop striving.  Stop worrying if you will make it to Heaven - if you have faith alone in God.

Adrain Rogers said, “I will not work my soul to save.  That work, my Lord has done.  But I will work like any slave for the love of God’s dear Son.”

Consider what Jesus did on the Sabbath day in His life.  Jesus performed some very unique miracles on the Sabbath day.  Why did He chose what He did on that particular day?

Note these five things:

1. Disciples picked corn and ate:  God is our provider.
2. He healed on the Sabbath:  God is our Healer
3. He cast out demons:  God is our authority.
4. He opened blinded eyes:  God is our sight.
5. He gave strength to lame legs:  God is our strength.

III.  Rest is a present reality resulting in a permanent residence.  

There remains a rest for the people of God.  God has promised us a permanent rest in Heaven.

What did we once call a nursing home?  A “Rest home” Let me tell you I have a “rest home” in my future and it will not cost me everything that I have worked for - it is already been paid for by Jesus on the cross.

Hebrews 4 indicates Sabbath is a type of the future kingdom of rest.

“O land of rest for thee I sigh,

When will the moment come?

When I shall lay my armor by

And dwell in peace at home?”

The Sabbath: The Promise - Part I

Yesterday I preached sermon two in this short series on the Sabbath Day with the message "The Sabbath: The Promise."  Here are part one of my notes.  Tomorrow I will post the second half of the notes.


“There is a place of Quiet rest - near to the heart of God.”  This old hymn says it well - that place of rest is the Gospel.

I quoted John MacArthur this past Wednesday night as saying, “Grace is a one-word description of the Gospel.”  I would agree. But you can almost say “rest” is also another one-word description of the Gospel.

Hebrews 3:16 - 4:11

1. Rest is the beginning of the Gospel.

Withholding rest and causing weariness is part of the curse. Genesis 3: 17-19

But in salvation, Jesus offers rest to all who come to Him.  Matthew 11:28-30

It was promised we would enter into a rest.  The rest was not a place (Canaan), but a person (Christ).

Colossians 2: 16-17  makes it clear that the keeping of the Mosaic Sabbath has no place in the New Covenant:  “Therefore let no one pass judgement on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”  (ESV)

Jesus will accept no works our parts.

Ephesians 2:8-9  “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Titus 3: 5 - “Not by works of righteousness which we have done.”

Come to the end of the work week - you find a Sabbath.  Come to the end of your labors and good works and you will find Christ.

The Jews kept the Sabbath day for 1,500 years but never entered into the rest.

The rest is due to belief - not works.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

Today is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and this Tuesday, January 22, the 40th anniversary of Roe vs Wade decision to legalize abortion.  Our pro-abortion President recently shared the very essence of the pro-life message in the context of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings.  The question I have, is what is the difference between those precious children and the ones in the womb?  Listen




No unborn baby has ever had the right to choose or deny its own destruction. —R.C. Sproul

For millions of unborn babies, the womb has become a cell on death row. —R.C. Sproul

The time to choose whether or not to have a baby is not after the baby has been conceived... —R.C. Sproul

Just a thought:  more innocent children are killed in their mother's womb "legally" in this country than all the mass shootings by mad men.  May be the conversation of how to stop these mass killings should begin with a renewed value of human life in the most precious state of all - the womb.  

The Sabbath - The Principle Part III

1. The Sabbath is a Person to Love - Matthew 11:28-30; 12:8

Matthew 11:28-30 is Jesus’ great invitation to come and rest.  Then immediately in chapter 12 comes a showdown between Jesus and the Pharisees.  They tried six times to place their rabbinical yoke on Jesus and His disciples.  But Jesus declared “For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (12:8)  Trying to tell the Lord of the Sabbath how to observe it is laughable.

The Sabbath is not just a day to observe legalistically, it is a person to love.

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

And part of this is on the Sabbath Day was a “day of sacred assembly.”  (Lev. 23:3)  Most all the festivals were conducted on Sabbaths with sacred assemblies where the people came together to celebrate God and their faith.

Don’t you think a part of those assemblies were what Deut. 5 said, “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm...”  This story of God’s redemption is the most told story of the Bible because they would tell it and remember the God who loved them.

Sabbath is about honoring the Lord through worship and obedience.  We turn our eyes and focus from being a “Hockey Mom” - President of the corporation - the athlete - the student - the teacher - we turn to the Lord.  We are reminded  “We are not superman - God is.”  There is one who holds all things together by the power of His Word - and it is not us.

The weight of the world is not on your shoulders.  The provision of your family is not on your shoulders.  

Disconnect from the world (turn off the tv, don’t live that day  from Facebook post to FB post, come off the computer, turn your cell phone off). 

The word noise comes nausea - the Latin word for sickness.  

Tune out the world and tune in to God’s voice.

God didn’t just stop from His creating, He stopped and enjoyed what He had done. We need to stop and enjoy God - what He has done, who He is.  And His greatest work is not creation, but the cross.

Sabbath is not just a day off, its a day up.  Look up. Listen up.  Build up.  Make sure what you do replenishes, refreshes, renews you.

Praying: Ultimate Connect

In one of the prayer magazines I receive (PrayerConnect), Barbara Ho wrote a great article on prayer.  You may read her entire article here.

The summary of the article is this:

We need to pray aloud more - not because God does not hear us when we pray silently, but I encourage people to pray out loud for several reasons:

1.  Praying aloud helps make our times with God more interesting.
2.  Praying aloud helps keep our focus on God.
3.  Praying aloud professes words of faith.
4.  Praying aloud encourages others.

May be this will be enough to encourage you to click here and read the entire article.

The Sabbath - The Principle Part II

(This is part two of the message I preached January 13, 2013.)

1. The Sabbath is a Command to Obey - Exodus 20:8-10

This fourth commandment is the longest of the ten.  Every seven days they were to cease from their labor  - no work in the fields. Every seventh year, all the fields were to remain fallow and not be cultivated at all (Lev. 25: 1-7).  Every 49 years there was to be a Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25: 8-11) of no labor and freedom.

But it is the only one of the Ten Commandments that is not repeated in the New Testament because the strict observance of it was for Israel only.  The church is under grace and in a New Covenant.  

We don’t live under the letter of the law, but the spirit or principles of the law still guides us.

Note:  whatever came up in the fields that year was permitted.  There needs to be days in our lives that whatever comes up in the field is just left there.

Israel was a land of rest and freedom.  It was not a sign of laziness or lack of productivity.  In face, in the long run, people who are deeply rested are far more productive.

We need to be reminded we are not in control, we are not the providers of our family - God is.  The world does not depend on me.  In fact, by the time God made man (Day 6) - He had already created everything and then on Day 7, He rested.

If you are worrying on your sabbath day - you are not resting.  Matthew 6:25-34 is Jesus’ famous words three times given “Do not worry.”  All of this is in the context of work.

God is your provider.  He is in control.  Don’t worry.  Failure to honor this is nothing short of rebellion.

III.  The Sabbath is a Gift to Receive - Deuteronomy 5:12-15

This sabbath was given to ex-slaves.  Normally, slaves don’t get a day off, but God wanted them to know they were no longer slaves, but sons-and-daughters.

The Sabbath is a reenactment of emancipation from slavery.  You are free - no labor - no one telling you what to do.

Their value now is not in what they can produce, but in their relationship.

Notice in Exodus 16:21-30 that  God even provided extra manna on the day prior to the Sabbath so they would not have to collect it on their only day of rest.

If you can’t observe a sabbath, it is a good sign you are still a slave.  Your slavery may be at the hands of chasing the American dream, medical school demands, your family’s hopes for you, or even yourself.  

But God says - I am your provider.  I am your protector.  Take the day off.  Unplug. Rest. Rejoice. Remember

But being able to take and enjoy a sabbath is a sign of freedom.  And the real freedom comes with the Gospel, as we’ll see next week.

The Sabbath - The Principle Part I

The message Sunday was not recorded, so let me over the next two days share the essence in the message "The Sabbath:  The Principle"

Let me ask if you if any of these terms describe you?  burnout?  stress?  workaholic?  frazzled?  worn out? bone tired? running on empty?  sleep deprived?

Chasing the American dream leads most of us to depression, sleep deprivation and destruction of our relationships and eventually our own bodies and souls.

But this is not the way God intended it to be.  In this message and next Sunday, I want to look at “The Sabbath Day:  The Principle and the Promise.”  You see, the Gospel addresses the issue of rest with a wonderful principle and promise.

Today, the principle.  

Thanks to Mark Dance for these four headings this morning with only a little modification and addition from me.

1. The Sabbath is an Example to Follow - Genesis 2: 1-3

Why do we need to observe a sabbath? But God did.  He finished His work and He ceased from His creative work.

The very word “sabbath” means to “cease, desist, cessation, silence” 

God did not cease because He was tired or weary.  He didn’t get to Wednesday and say, “If I can just make it through Friday.”  He rested in that He had set something into motion that was destined to come to pass without His further work or attention.

“If God took a day off once every seven, what makes you think you don’t need that, too?”

God was providing an example for all of us to follow.  Balance in our lives.  The rhythm of work and rest.  I believe this is for everybody - not just believers.  The principle of a sabbath is first in creation, not the law.  But this principle is especially for believers and is incorporated into the very Gospel, as we’ll see more next week.

Mark 2:27 “The Sabbath was made for man.”

More tomorrow....

Why Christians Worship on Sunday

In my series that I am doing on "The Sabbath Day:  Principle and Promise," I want to share why Christians no longer worship on Saturday (Sabbath), but on Sunday (the first day of the week).

Is it wrong to worship on Saturday?  I wouldn't think since for believers, everyday is worship and any day is acceptable for His people to gather for worship.

So, why Sunday?  As believers of Jesus and those who have been redeemed by the blood of the cross of Jesus and given life through the resurrection of Jesus, Sunday just becomes the natural and normal day to come together.

In the Old Testament, the Jews were to assemble on the Sabbath day and "remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm..." (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Our gatherings as believers is not to just remember what God did in creation or what He did for the Jews in deliverance - there is something greater which demands a greater celebration and that is the redemption we have through His death and resurrection.

So, we worship on the "first day of the week?"  Why?

*  Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week.  All four gospels record it (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1)
*  Jesus met with His disciples on the first and second Sunday of His resurrection (John 20:19-23 and John 20:24-29)
*  Pentecost occurred on a Sunday
*  Paul meet with believers at Troas on Sunday after spending the whole week in their city (Acts 20:5-12)
*  Offerings were to be collected on the first day of the week (I Corinthians 16:2-3)
*  By the time of John's revelation, he acknowledged there was something called "The Lord's Day." (Revelation 1:10)

So for everyone who has been redeemed from the curse of the law, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, and has the indwelling Christ living in them through the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit, then I'll just see you Sunday in His House on His Day to celebrate His finished work of salvation!!!!!!

Resources for Sabbath Day Teaching

In my preaching of "The Sabbath Day:  Principle and Promise," I promised I would share some resources that would be helpful and more practical.

"How to Guard Sabbath for Your Children" by Jen Wilkin

"Is the Sabbath Still Relevant?"  by Ray Ortlund

"Vacating the Internet" by Tim Challies

Free eBooklet "Wisdom and Sabbath Rest" by Tim Keller

"The Practice of Stillness"  by Michael Hyatt

"What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains" by Michael Hyatt

Praying the Scriptures, Part II

Yesterday I shared here about the promises God has made us if we pray.  I mentioned seven.

Today, I share with you how.  It is by Praying the Scriptures.

Prayer and the Scriptures go together:

Ephesians 6: 17-18  The Sword of the Spirit and praying go together.   “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”

George Muller said he struggled to keep his mind on prayer until he learned to pray with his Bible open.

When we pray this way, our prayers will reflect the Scriptures  and not just our thoughts.

As you read the Scriptures, remembering to look at them through something like this might be helpful:

S - Specific aspect of God I need to know

P - Promise I need to claim

E - Example I need to follow

C - Confession of sin I need to make

K - Knowledge I need to learn

Kevin DeYoung gave this:

When I look at a Scripture, I lay these three words over it:

Rejoice

Repent

Request

I promise you it will deepen and delight your prayer life if you will practice praying the Scriptures.

Praying the Scriptures, Part I

I shared with my church in July a message that prayer was the single most important discipline in a believer’s life and that it is also the single most difficult discipline in our lives.  (Hear that message here)

In light of that and our beginning our annual 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, we need encouragement to pray.  

If I was to make you the following promises, would you be interested?  

1. You will get to know God personally and intimately - without the filter of any man or religion. (Phil. 3:10)
2. You will never grow tired of praying. (Matthew 26:40)  Instead of boring, your prayer life will be enjoyable, rewarding, deepening.  Praying that goes beyond “God bless the food”  “God heal the sick”  “God bless the missionaries”  “God help me”  “God kill them”
3. Your mind will be renewed (Romans 12:2)
4. You will gain strength to overcome sin (Psalm 119:11)
5. You will come alive. (Hebrews 4:12)
6. You will be able to know your heart (Psalm 139:23, James 1:23-25)
7. You will receive everything for which you pray. (I John 5:14-15)

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”  I John 5: 14-15  (NIV)

We can have confidence - free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness.

Hearing here is more than just a matter of God acknowledging that we have spoken;  it means He grants the request.  He says, “Yes.”

 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” 

  Matthew 21:22  (NIV)

How? I'll share more tomorrow....

Sunday Sermon January 6, 2013

Our church began its annual 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting yesterday and to encourage the believers, I did a message on "Praying the Scriptures."

Here are the notes from the message. Click here

Here is the audio of the message:

The Cradle and the Cross

This past Sunday, I shared these devotional thoughts prior to our church observing the Lord's Supper.  Jesus came into this world to die.  We can’t celebrate Christmas without celebrating the reason He came - the cross.  Let’s look at some of the events that were common to both:

	The Cradle	The Cross
Darkness	Jesus was born at night	When Jesus died it became as dark as midnight even though it was afternoon
Swaddling clothes	Jesus was wrapped as a babe in swaddling clothes	Jesus’ body was wrapped in cloth in preparation for burial
Mother’s presence	Mary was present at His birth with great joy	Mary was present at His death with great sorrow
Angels	Angels were visible expressing good news at His birth	Angels were invisible ready to rescue Him
King controversy	At His birth, Herod killed all the boys under the age of two only after seemingly wanting to go and worship the new born King	In His death, the title was put above the cross “King of the Jews” and it brought great division and anger
Theme of the outcast	Shepherds were outcast and unwanted in the Temple; yet angels appeared to them sharing the good news	Every man who was crucified was condemned and cast out by both man and God; rejected both in this life and the world to come
Wood	The manger was made of wood	The cross was made of wood
Shedding of blood	He was circumcised eight days old which meant His blood was shed	His side was pierced from which came blood and water
Announcement of His person	Simeon announced when he held him that “he was Your salvation” and “the light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”	The Roman soldier said, “Surely He was the Son of God.”
Left empty	Jesus did not remain in the cradle, but grew in favor with both God and man	Jesus did not remain on the cross, but was placed in a grave.  Jesus did not remain in the grave but rose in order to prove His favor with God and to bring favor to man.

The "Word" for 2013

I'm not one to seek a "Word" for a year or any situation.  I strongly believe that a "Word" from God in a given situation - a "rhema word" - must always drop into our spirits sovereignly.  I know my heart well enough to know I can and would try to manipulate the Word of God to get what I wanted otherwise.  But when God sovereignly drops a Word, it is a Word that I can stand on through hell and back.

But as I was praying and reading recently over the holidays, I sensed God dropped a Word in my spirit for me in 2013.  I can not force this word on you nor can you accept it a word for you.  But may I just share the Word and let the sovereign Spirit do as He wishes.

Colossians 1: 10 "and you have been filled in Him...." (ESV)
"and you are complete in Him,...." (NKJV)
"and in Him you have been made complete..." (NASB)
"and in Christ you have been brought to fullness...." (NIV)

Fullness...complete.  Reminds me of Jesus' words in John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it to more abundantly (to the full)."

As believers and followers of the Lord Jesus and inhabitants of His life through the Spirit, we are complete...full.  Needing nothing more, can take nothing more, having capacity for nothing more.  "Topped off" - may be even overflowing!!!!

In Christ....not in religion, human relationships, achievements, success, financial gain, victories...we are complete and full.  None of these other things bring us fulfillment.  Only Christ.

So here is the opposite of that....if 2013 or any point of life takes away a human relationship, we fail, lose money instead of gaining, lose battles instead of winning...these things do not change our standing.  We are still complete in Christ!!!  These "subtractions" can not shake us or change us any more than "additions" can - because you can't add or subtract anything from the completeness and fullness of Christ.

May our mind and spirit be stabilized through the storms of life by this wonderful privilege, promise and potential.

Blessings to you, my beloved, for 2013.
David

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting for CrossRoads

As a church, we begin our annual 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting on Sunday, January 6.  We will follow the Jewish calendar beginning our fast at sunset going through the same time the following day.

We are asking our church to take a day for a total fast.  Some, in the past, have done this and more.  For those, do no less than you have done in the past and consider adding a new dimension to your prayer and fasting.

If you have never participated, take the challenge of doing at least one day of fasting (as your health permits).  Some have used the Daniel Fast in these days.  Resources for the Daniel Fast are on the church's web site.

There is a sign up at the Resource Table at the church building to declare your day.

Here are some resources for you:

Go to our church's web site for more resources to use during this time.

The Year in Numbers: 2012

The Year in Numbers: 2012

by Joe Carter

World population (est.): 7,061,314,509

Resident population of the United States (est.): 315,067,051

In America there is:
-- One birth every: 8 seconds
-- One death every: 12 seconds
-- One abortion every: 26 seconds
-- One international migrant (net) every: 40 seconds
-- Net gain of one person every: 17 seconds

America's outstanding public debt (est.): $16,348,868,007,556.33

America's outstanding consumer debt (est.): $11,380,000,000,000

Average credit card debt per U.S. household: $15,418

Average mortgage debt per U.S. household: $149,782

Average student loan debt per U.S. household: $34,703

Median household income: $50,054

Number of Americans with income below the official poverty rate: 46,200,000

Number of abortions in America (est.): 1,200,000

Number of adoptions in America (est.): 136,000

Number of states that allow physician-assisted suicide: 3

Number of states that have legalized same-sex marriage: 9

Number of Christians that were persecuted for their faith around the world (est.): 200,000,000

Percentage of Americans who identify as Christian: 78.4

Percentage of Americans who identify as Evangelical: 26.3

Percent of American adults that self-identify as very or moderately religious: 69

Median salary of a megachurch pastor: $120,000

Percent of churchgoers that have not told another person about how to become a Christian in the previous six months: 61

Percent of churchgoers that say they rarely or never pray for the spiritual status of others: 21

Number of evangelical organizations that are challenging the Obama administration's contraceptive-abortifacient mandate: 8

Percentage of American adults who purchased one or more books: 71

Number of pornographic titles on Amazon's top-ten best selling book list: 4

Number of spiritual/religious titles on Amazon's top-ten best selling book list: 0

Number of languages spoken in the world (est.): 6,800

Number of languages without any of the Bible translated: under 2,000

Number of people living in an indigenous community without adequate numbers of Christians and resources to evangelize the group: 2,886,148,000

Number of predictions about the apocalypse that came true this year: 0

Disclaimer: This list is meant to be suggestive, not exhaustive. If you're wondering why I didn't include a particular statistic/number the answer is either (a) I didn't think of it (though I probably should have) or (b) I couldn't find a reliable figure. Since some data from 2012 is not yet available, I used numbers from prior years that are likely still relevant. While I tried to include only reliable sources, I can't vouch for the accuracy of any particular number.