"Jesus must become greater…" John 3:30
Read: Clovis Chappell, a minister from a century back, used to tell the story of two paddleboats. They left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other. Words were … Read more
Read: We read that in 1677 a licentious man married a licentious women. From that union came 1900 descendants. Of these descendants 771 were criminals, 39 were murderers; only 10 learned a trade and they learned it in prison. They spent a combined total of 1,300 years in prison and cost the state of New … Read more
Read: A woman went into a psychiatrist’s office. She had a fried egg on her head and strips of bacon hanging over her ears. She said to the doctor, “I didn’t come to see you about myself; I came to see you about my brother. There is something wrong with him.”* Moral: It’s easy to … Read more
Read: That young man should have turned himself in. Not that he would’ve been acquitted; he robbed a bank. But at least he wouldn’t have been the laughingstock of Virginia Beach. Cash-strapped and at the age of nineteen, he went to Jefferson State Bank on a Wednesday afternoon, filled out a loan application, and left. … Read more
Read: A minister stood before his congregation and announced: “The Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He only need cowboys to round them up. Will the ushers please come forward for the offering?”* “When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing.” -unknown ** “Some people who give the Lord credit are reluctant … Read more
Read: A certain man had a fine canary whose song was unusually beautiful. During the summer it seemed a shame to keep the bird inside. So his owner placed his cage outside in a tree. Many sparrows frequented the tree, attracted by the cage. At first the canary was frightened, but he soon began to … Read more
Read: Mary Khoury, 17 years old, Damour, Lebanon, During the Lebanese civil war, 1975-1992 Mary Khoury and her family were forced to their knees before their home. The leader of the Muslim fanatics who had raided their village waved his pistol carelessly before their faces. His hatred for Christians burned in his eyes. “If you do not become … Read more
Character To inspire a deeper commitment to godliness The next ten weeks will encourage you to live like Jesus and to continue developing godly character in your life. As you read this section, spend time examining your heart to see what the Lord desires to do in you and through you. “God’s ultimate goal for … Read more
Read: In the mid-1700s David Brainerd was used greatly by the Lord to reach the Native Americans with the Gospel. At times he would be found praying for them for hours in the snow. He loved them with the love of God. In his diary he once wrote, “I poured out my soul for all … Read more
Read: From a sermon preached by Jack Hyles in 1974: I was an introvert when I was a boy. I was still sucking my thumb when I was fourteen. On my 17th birthday I weighed 93 pounds dripping wet and full of bananas. I could not pass public speaking. I was called “Jackie boy.” Nobody … Read more
Read: The following story is taken from a sermon preached by the famous evangelist Billy Sunday: I will never forget one time in a town in Illinois when I was leaving the tent where we were holding meetings. Among those who went out last was a young man to whom I was especially attracted by … Read more
Read Adapted from a sermon by Hyman J. Appelman: I had a friend in seminary…One day as he and I drove to our churches in Oklahoma, he told me of his conversion. He told how he was almost driven away from home because of his drunkenness, how he was kicked out of a Christian school … Read more
Read: On one occasion Dr. Bob Gray got so burdened about winning someone to Christ, he prayed early in the morning that the Lord would give him a soul that day. He had that on his heart as he drove to his early morning radio broadcast. As he got out on the expressway in Jacksonville … Read more
Read: Miss Blanche Groves was for many years a faithful missionary in China. One day in Soochow she stood on the curb of the street and watched three men being led to execution by the Japanese. One of them recognized her, broke away from his captors and ran up to her. He cried out, “Thank … Read more
Read: A man who was a member of a church asked his pastor to visit his son, who was sick unto death. He met his pastor at the door and said, “Preacher, I am afraid that my son is dying. I wish you would talk to him about his salvation.” The preacher went into the … Read more