Warriors on a Picket Fence

A brother sent this to me. It looks like it could be lyrics to modern Christian music. I just want to post it for its thought value and for what its worth. Maybe by reading it we can use it as a thought provoker to make me think, "Where am I really at?". Are we "Picket Fence Warriors?"

“Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle,
caught in the middle”

Casting Crowns

Dwight L Moody Quotes

I just wanted to introduce D.L. Moody to this blogs readers today. Enjoy. A word fitly spoken........

A good example is far better than a good precept.
Dwight L. Moody

A man ought to live so that everybody knows he is a Christian... and most of all, his family ought to know.
Dwight L. Moody

A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have.
Dwight L. Moody

Character is what a man is in the dark.
Dwight L. Moody

Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.
Dwight L. Moody

Death may be the King of terrors... but Jesus is the King of kings!
Dwight L. Moody

Faith makes all things possible... love makes all things easy.
Dwight L. Moody

Give me a man who says this one thing I do, and not those fifty things I dabble in.
Dwight L. Moody

God doesn't seek for golden vessels, and does not ask for silver ones, but He must have clean ones.
Dwight L. Moody

God never made a promise that was too good to be true.
Dwight L. Moody

I have had more trouble with myself than with any other man.
Dwight L. Moody

I know the Bible is inspired because it inspires me.
Dwight L. Moody

If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of me.
Dwight L. Moody

It is a masterpiece of the devil to make us believe that children cannot understand religion. Would Christ have made a child the standard of faith if He had known that it was not capable of understanding His words?
Dwight L. Moody

Never think that Jesus commanded a trifle, nor dare to trifle with anything He has commanded.
Dwight L. Moody

No man can resolve himself into Heaven.
Dwight L. Moody

Preparation for old age should begin not later than one's teens. A life which is empty of purpose until 65 will not suddenly become filled on retirement.
Dwight L. Moody

The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.
Dwight L. Moody

There are many of us that are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things.
Dwight L. Moody

There's no better book with which to defend the Bible than the Bible itself.
Dwight L. Moody

Haiti Report in Ont. Canada

Anthony and Darla Penner are giving a report on Sunday night on life in Oriani, Haiti… they are home for furlough. They are the ones who wrote about the demon possession letters.

Eastern time zone…

The number is 712-432-1600 the axcess code is 1032744.

Day After the Quake In Ontario

Here is an article Okay... daily missions.

The morning after the earthquake in Haiti, when I stepped through the
door of the woodworking shop where I worked at the time, I felt one of
the tremoring aftershocks.......... The folks that I worked with are
not professing christians, not by the farthest stretch of both their
and my own imaginations. They were pretty worked up about the
televangelist who said that "Haiti deserved this because of a pact
that their forefathers had made with the devil in the 1700's". For the
first time ever they really let me know what they thought about a
"supposed" God. They asked me questions that were bordering on the
ludicurious and even the boss put in very little work that day. I was
quiet for the most part, every know and then I would fire off a
question or two in response to theirs, but mostly just prayed and
asked God what answer he was going to send this time.

At last break they were really fired up, when all of a sudden God
impressed me "tell your conversion experience". So I sat up and did
exactly that. These men believe the bible is just a book, God is just
a fable, and religion is hypocrisy. They let me know that they respect
me... but how could I believe this stuff? I told them that I would
tell them but that could not interrupt me for at least 5 mins. I then
asked the biggest fellow if he wanted me to "eliminate" my religion
when I told him why. He acted sorta shocked and said that he didn't
want me to renounce anything... but... ya eliminate it from the
equation... because all they do is blab about the bible and..., so I
interrupted him and said that I would also eliminate the bible.

I then just told them what God had done for me. How he had changed me.
How I used to Hate and now I Love. How I couldn't help but love Him
and my neighbor as myself.

After I told them it was quiet for a couple of minutes, painfully so..
Later on that day the fellow who had talked the loudest came over to
where I was working, and after watching me for a couple of minutes in
silence, said that there were many mornings when he woke up after a
night of drinking that he would pray and ask God to "stop the whole
madness"... But the biggest reason he couldn't except God was because
then he would have to "surrender his will to Him".

The discussion changed after that. Those men went home and told their
wives about the discussion and the next morning they were all fired up
and ready to go again, but this time it wasn't about "if" there was a
God, but "what type of God" there was....

-- Bro. Jason Hunt, He wrote it on the fly and netiher of us had a lot of time to edit it. I asked to use it and he granted it. I was inspired and I am sure you were too.

A Plea for Fishermen

I heard about this story and then found a link to it posted by someone else. As far as I know there is not a copyright, I just thought it would be suitable here:

Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches any fish?

It came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen, and lo, there were many fish in the waters all around them. In fact the whole area was surrounded with by streams and lakes filled with fish that were hungry

Week after week and month after month these who called themselves fisherman met in meetings and discussed about their ‘call’ to fish, the abundance of fish and how they may go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation and declared that fishing should always be the mission-vision statement and primary task of fisherman.

Continually they searched for new and better methods of fishing and for innovative definition for fishing. Further they said “The fishing industry exists for fishing as fire exists for burning”. They loved slogans such as
“Every fisherman is a fisher” and “A fisherman’s outpost for every fisherman’s club”. Hey sponsored special meetings called fisherman’s campaigns” and “the month for fisherman to fish”. They subsidized global congresses where there were key note addresses on the rationale and best practices in fishing. They promoted new fishing equipment and called for papers to be presented innovation and new baits discovered for fishing.

These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called “fisherman’s headquarters”. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman an every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn’t do however, they didn’t fish!

In addition to meeting regularly they formed a board to organize and send out fisherman to other places also where they were many fish. All the fisherman agreed that what was really needed was a supportive board that would challenge fisherman to be faithful. The board was formed of those who with great courage and motivation could do vision-casting for fishing. They spoke of the need to fish in faraway streams and lakes where many fish of different colors lived. Furthermore the board hired staff and appointed committee and sub-committees to defend fishing and look into current trends and issues in fishing, but the staff and committee member did not fish.

Large elaborate and expensive training centers were built who origin and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. However, over the years specialized courses were offered on the existential needs and intricate nature of fish, the psychological reactions of fish, where to find fish and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had PhDs (doctorates) in fishology and became professors and heads of the fishology in universities. But the teachers did not fish; they only taught fishing. Year after year after tedious training, many were graduated and given fishing licenses. They were sent to do full time fishing, some to distant and exotic waters that were filled with fishes.

Some spent much time, money and travel to do research on the history of fishing and see the far away places where the founding fathers did great fishing in centuries past. They lauded the faithful fishermen of by gone years who handed down the idea of fishing.

Further, the fisherman established large printing houses to publish fishing guides. Presses were kept busy day and night to produce material solely devoted to fishing methods, equipment and programs to arrange and to encourage meetings to talk about fishing. A speaker’s bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing.

Many who felt the call be fisherman responded. They were commissioned and sent to fish. But like the fisherman back home they engaged in all kinds of other occupations. They build power plants to pump water for fish and tractor to plow new waterways. Hey made all kinds of equipment to travel here and there to look at fish hatcheries. Some also said that they wanted to be a part of a fishing party, but their felt called to furnish fishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so that the fish would know the difference between good and bad fishermen. Still others felt that letting the fish know that they were nice land-loving neighbors and how loving and kind they were was enough.

After one stirring meeting on “The Necessity of Fishing”, one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was immediately honored for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fisherman. He was also placed on the Fisherman’s General Board of Directors as a person having considerable practical experience.

Now it is true that the fisherman sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish everyday. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fisherman’s club and the fact that they claimed to be fisherman and yet never fished. They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the master who said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”?

Imagine how hurt some were when one day one person suggested that those who don’t catch fish were really not fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches a fish? Is one following if he is not fishing?

A version of this story credited to J. Drescher, Pulpit Digest, July-Aug, 1978

Response To My Koran Post

Operation Noah:

What are you getting at with your posting of Muslim questions and koran verses on your blog???
Where you coming from and where are you going?

You have probably read up on it a little, no doubt.... but where is your fire coming from? I could tell ya a bit about Islam (arabic for "surrender"), their history, "sadaka", fatwa, seven pillars and so on.

The Qoran is full of abrogations. Even Islam's own esteemed scholars apparently say that the book isn't a masterpiece by the farthest stretch of the mind (maybe my own dramatic wording). Basically it plagerizes (and quite badly at that) the stories of the old testament at the very beginning. After that is sounds like the "proverbs" of a slightly insane religious zealot. Mohammad even keeps changing his tune to accommodate the pressure of his peers and circumstances. Mohammad is quoted as saying that his 4 biggest enjoyments in life were "women, wealth, food, and scents." A real "disciplined" guy by the sounds of it!
A muslim will tell you that their prophet is dead. That fact that nothing spectacular happened to him and his body after he died is somewhat puzzling to them... especially in the light that the "prophet" Jesus rose back to life. A muslim is never certain of grace with his god and eternal life after he dies. He always tries to live the most "perfect" life that he can because he believes that it will only be at the time that Allah judges the world that Allah will also unveil his "standard" by which some people will pass but others won't. Even the last words of Mohammad are recorded of him asking mercy of Allah. The only way that they can be sure is if they are killed in Jihad.
Interesting facts on Muslims. Their dead must be buried in unmarked graves, from the richest sheik in Saudia Arabia, to the poorest peasant... their graves all look the same. (Some discrepancies to this are the Taj Mahal, I can't figure out the logic behind that one.) Also, the graves cannot be dug using shovels, only the bare hands. There are no coffins used, just shrouds.


I will tell you about a couple of ways to get into a meaningful spiritual conversation with muslims. Ask them "what color God is". Ask them what their Qoran says on the subject. Tell them that the Bible says that God is Light. I have had quite the discussions with people on this subject. It opens up "dialogue" It also gives you the chance to most importantly tell them that "God is Love".
Brother, to tell these poor souls that there IS a LIVING GOD OF LOVE whose "colour" is LIGHT, (Every spectrum of colour and hence nation and race of people are engulfed in this Father - Aba - Baba.....) well.... that effects them.... Strongly! They are not ones to show great emotion (its a religion that doesn't leave alot of room for the gentler emotions).

Just be careful about approaching them when they are practicing there month of fasting. Tempers are in short demand with an empty belly.

I book I have recently read that would give you an insight into the "mentality" of a muslim (follower of Mohammad) is "From Jihad to Jesus".

Sincerely CURIOUS: [Joe the Brother]

Thanks Bro. Joe, Gives us something to think about. We are here to share. This is not to make any reader hate or distrust the Muslim, but rather we want to reach out to Him and as Christians help them understand the saving power of Jesus Christ.

What Do Muslims Believe?

Perhaps I over step myself because I have had very little opportunity to read the Koran myself. These quotes I came across seem to give me a sense of warning as I realize that this is one of the World's fastest growing religions. I do not believe for a second that we should not love the Muslim person or despise his soul. It is just the religion that I cannot support as it is Anti-Christ in nature. I seen this list of quotes and it interested me and I thought I would post it here for your interest in dealing with Muslims.If any of this is unfounded below let me know:


FROM THE KORAN:

--“ the (only) religion (acceptable) before God is Islam." (3:19)
-- " If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him." (3: 85)
-- “You are the noblest community ever raised up for mankind.” (3:110)
-- The unbelievers among the people of the book and the pagans shall burn forever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures. (98.6).
-- Surely the vilest of animals in Allah’s sight are those who disbelieve. (8.55)
--The unbelievers are your inveterate enemy. (4:101)
-- Mohammed is God's apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another. (48:29).
-- It is unlawful for a believer to kill another believer, accidents excepted. (4:92)
-- Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. (5:51)
-- Make war on them until idolatry shall cease and God's religion shall reign supreme. (8:40)
-- Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God's religion reigns supreme. (2:193)
-- The true believers fight for the cause of God, but the infidels fight for the devil. (4:76)
-- We will put terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. (3:151)
-- I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers. (8:12)

FROM THE SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD:
-- Muhammad said to the Jews: "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. “
-- Allah's Apostle said, "You (i.e. Muslims) will fight with the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, 'O 'Abdullah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.' "
-- Mohammed said, "I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and whoever says, " None has the right to be worshipped but Allah , his life and property will be saved by me." (otherwise it will not). Vol. 4:196
-- Mohammed said, "Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him." Vol. 9:57
-- Mohammed said, " No Muslim should be killed for killing a Kafir" (infidel). Vol. 9:50
-- Muhammad said: "Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah. Make a holy war, …"
How is that for a religion of peace, eh?

The Seed, Death, and Resurrection: A Morning Study of Revival

As I woke up this morning, I was struck with the thought of
Revival. Before we went to bed, we prayed for our congregation's
revival. We also prayed for a community revival. It impressed me more
deeply this week, because of Sunday School. I brought out the thought
that we really need to pray for a community revival. There is so much
poor people around us with needs, that the revival is at our finger
tips and yet we are not ready to harvest it. People that had lived in
the area for years laughed at me for thinking my prayers for local
revival would really bear fruit. However it worked in our cul-du-sac
in California, and it worked in Belize. In Belize I recognized that
the indigenous congregations were only families and locally recognized
as such, so with little visitors. The truth is that there is seeking
souls in Belize because the population is young. Asked the Spirit of
God for a seeker to come to Church. One Sunday a youth came to Church.
He said he didn't really know why he came he just wanted to come to
Church. I knew why he came. We had him for dinner. He immediately
wanted to discuss what doctyrine we lived by and borrowed a book on
the subject. So now the challenge is before us--- are we ready for a
area Revival. What does a revival take. It takes a spark. What is that
spark. It is the spark of the power of Resurrection.
This is the verse that came this morning. I like to mix these two
versions to help my feeble mind to digest.
John 12:24 (King James Version)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the
ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit.
John 12:24 (New International Version)
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and
dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many
seeds.
The act of Revival and Resurrection takes place after death. Think of
the most powerful moments of Revivals in your life. The death of your
self. The giving of your self to your wife. A funeral of some one
close to you. Someone elses conversion from death unto life. The list
goes on. The power of Jesus was not just in His ministry. His own
disiples left Him when he needed him most. It took His death then
ressurrection to overcome sin and set us free.
Here are some quick thoughts on these two "R's"
1. In revival there needs to be Evangelism. The unexpected spiritual
death and resurrection of our neighbors shows us the power of God. It
seems we expect one another and our children to find there way. To see
the power of God in the unplanned blows away our defences and stops us
in our tracks: Behold the Power of God.
2. If some of our Missionaries were even martyred our Mission program
would actually grow. It is a paradox, and we do not wish it, but I
think it is true. If I would go to the mission, I would have to
prepare myself to die for those people to really be heart effective.
Look at the Martyrs. Even look at some of the Beachy Amish programs
like CAM. I admire them because they suffer with the people. We even
use their books to inspire us-why? Spiritual death and then the
willingness to die physically for Christ is a power that cannot be
stopped.
3. Our society insulates itself from death and the unpleasentries of
life, hampering the cross, and the power of resurection.
4. From the Apostles on, it was the hands on approach that revived
them from time to time. It wasn't a quality of the flesh it was the
manifestation of the power of resurection and spirit in their life
that shook the world. The renewing no doubt came from the testimony of
those they ministered to. Phillip had just as much of a revival as the
Ethiopian. Don't you think? When Paul seen non-Jews pull away from
Paganism and embrace Christ-----He couldn't help but leap for joy and
press on counting it a glory to even witness to the emperor, perchance
even his soul could be saved. The ministry of Stephen renewed the
Church in His death even to this day. His face shone as an Angel. How
many High Priests later on gave their hearts to the Lord or were
plagued to depression from the power of that moment.
Here is just a few more verses:
1 Corinthians 15:36 (King James Version)
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
1 Corinthians 15:36 (New International Version)
How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it
dies.Galatians 2:20 (King James Version)
Gal.3:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself
for me.
I was also impressed with the mustard seed. Thinking how small it
started. It grew to have many branches that sheltered the birds of the
air. The security of the death and resurrection revival is that it
cannot be imitated. Everyone that has lived in Winton long enough
surely hears of the revival in the 50's where a number of prodigal
couples from near and hours away suddenly showed up one revivals and
filled the back benches. We need that spontaneous outpouring and the
only way we can experience that is to let self wither and then die.
Only the Lord can light the spark. Let us Pray to that end.
I don't know why I write this. I just type as it comes. It seems the
greatest moments of revival come when I hear of and see the power of
God manifest in the flesh. You had the faith that it was real-- then
you actually see it! It is then easier to believe that Christ/God
really came down in the flesh--even to this day--now in the form of
the Spirit in the believer. So why would we hinder that power which is
not of ourselves to shine forth out of us and save
others..................

The Holy Spirit is Incedible

Man, today on the way to work, I just had so much going through my
mind and heart. It was like I was burning inside and felt so
insignificant, yet had so much love for everybody. An inspiration came
about the Where is the Balm of Gilead from Jeremiah. The Chapter came
alive to me. We have been trying to dam up God's blessings and peace
to ourselves. I was like told that our CE's and programs just about
become loathful, (It has become for our own enjoyment) because God is
praised more when we reach out to the broken hearted in prayer, tears,
and action. Our love to him is directly related with our unselfishness
and love to others. Not at all side stepping obedience. Christian life
is not to be comfortable. It is a cross, but there is so much
fulfilment and purpose it causes our lives to burn as a fire. That
fire cannot be contained but must spread from our lives to others or
else it will flicker and burn out.......I don't know what to say, but
the last few days have been powerful. I listened to two conversion
experiences in Ballico that just tore me up and made me thirst for
more. It was a couple. There was a divorce and remarriage issue and
they both decided that they were ready to parcel off their children
and do whatever it took to reconcile with God. They sold out. The
woman said she had never known what peace was before. Their home was
torn with strife and they can't believe the change. He was a member
that had left the church and had given himself to drugs and drunken living and now you could
never know the change that took place. The testimony caused my wife
and I to weep along with them about the mercies of God. They are going
to keep the children and stay together. I wish people in our whole
conference could have heard the different conversion experiences that
have come out of Central California the last number of years.. It is
not drift that we need to worry about it is whether we see through the
eyes of Jesus, the broken hearts and those that need a physician, our
brothers and sister's needs, and of course whether we have that
burning Spirit in our hearts that causes us to leave our comfort zone
and be faithful to the way of the cross. The cross is not just the
acts of following a formula criteria, it is acts of unselfishness
prompted by God. My present cross is to pay online bills and continue
to fight the host of mammon. So Long.

Thought for the Day: Wearing Jesus Glasses

How would you see the masses around you if you had the eyes of Jesus. If we could have Jesus glasses to put on and we in the Church would wear them---how would things be different? What would you see? How's your vision today?