But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.–Acts 1:8   Many years ago I met the famous evangelist Hyman Appleman, a converted Jew, who preached revivals across America. As a young preacher I was deeply impressed by the power in which he preached. The other day I happened to run across a sermon he preached in 1941. Here is an excerpt of the sermon where he speaks of how the Holy Spirit empowers God’s servants to do His service:   “His power is beyond human computation and measure. His wisdom is limitless. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. He can take, He has taken the weakest vessel, the humblest tool, the poorest instrument, and wrought wonders with them. It was He who endowed Moses, enrolled Joshua, enabled Samuel, ennobled David, enlightened Isaiah, emancipated Daniel, encouraged Paul and Silas—.   He is our Comforter also, ready to transform our lives into channels of blessings, making us mighty unto the pulling down of the strong holds of sin, unto the advancing and the upbuilding of the kingdom, unto the winning of multitudes of precious souls. Without Him we are helpless. With Him the gates of hell cannot prevail against us.   He is the key to success, the secret of victory, the door to the impossible. The Holy Spirit is our ally.”   Dear friend if we would keep these glorious truths in mind we would be a lot less prone to get discouraged in the face of difficulty. With the Holy Spirit as our Helper all things are possible and we have good reason to be encouraged.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.–Philippians 4:6   I’ve got an idea that the most commonly confessed sin is worry. Few people have the audicity to say that they never worry. But although we readily confess it, we seldom repent of it. Why ? Maybe it’s because we fail to realize what great harm it does. We seem to believe it is a harmless sin. Nothing could be farther from the truth.   Someone defined worry as “a small trickle of fear that meanders through the mind until it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.” James describes the danger like this–“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”(James 1:8). The worrier is like the mule that starved to death while standing between two stacks of hay, because he couldn’t make up his mind which one to eat out of.   The fact of the matter is that worry affects us in every way: emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually. Worry can be deadly. When the Bible says,”Be careful for nothing” we ought to take it as a serious warning. God is looking out for our welfare! Heed His warnings, obey His commands,and claim His promises. A child of God in the will of God has nothing to worry about. When trouble come, go to God in prayer. When your burden is heavy cast “all your care upon him” and leave it there.   Mike Singletary was one of the greatest football players ever. Mike grew up in the ghetto of Houston. He was one of ten children and times were tough, especially after his father abandoned the family. Six months later, the oldest child was hit and killed by a drunk driver. Everyone wondered how Mike’s mother could ever support such a large family by herself. How could a poor single mother possibly provide for so many children? Mike answered that question when he was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame”. He said,”She responded the only way true champions respond: on the knees”. Dear friend, that’s the only way any of us can make it!

Flee also youthful lust: but follow after righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.–2 Timothy 2:22

Why is it that some Christians succeed, while others who make a profession of faith miserably fail? Why is it that some seem to run the race of life and cross the finish line with flying colors, while others just collapse in a heap? It is because of choices-choices that we make each and every day. We make our choices, and our choices make us. And life is filled with choices.

From the moment you get up in the morning until the moment you lay your head on your pillow, you will have made hundreds-maybe even thousands-of choices. Some are simple choices that don’t mean a lot, and others are choices that mean a great deal. It comes down to this: If you want to grow spiritually, you will. And if you don’t want to grow spiritually, you won’t. It is not the luck of the draw or something that only happens randomly; it is making the right choice to do the right thing.

We either will go forward as Christians, or we will go backward. We either will progress, or we will regress. We either will gain ground, or we will lose ground. And if we stand still, we will lose ground. So this is the kind of commitment where we should be seeking, on a daily basis, to grow spiritually, to progress, and to learn-and not just hold our own.

We all need to commit ourselves to growing spiritually, because there are things that impair our spiritual growth, and there are things that help it. We want to live lives that will honor God and stay away from the things that will drag us down spiritually. Because spiritual growth is based on doing what is good-and not doing what is bad. (Greg Laurie)

Then they gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly….
Acts 2:41-42.

Churches in many parts of the world are flourishing, but in parts of Europe and North America, the going is a little tougher. A recent survey of 2,527 congregations in America found that less than half reported growth of two percent or more in the past five years. Only 35 percent said they were spiritually vital and alive. Only 19 percent reported excellent financial health.1

Since the church is simply the collection of Christians like us, it is important for each of us to grow, to witness, to stay vital and alive, and to support our churches financially. Our congregations are simply a reflection of the believers who comprise them.

Spiritual growth requires us to sink our roots into a local church. We aren’t consumers who go to church for entertainment; we’re worshippers and workers who go to grow, and who grow to serve. The early Church continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.

Stay rooted in church, and root for your congregation.

We must prepare the soil before God will send the rain. It is true that God gives the increase, but we have to do some farming.                                                                              –From Turning Point
Vance Havner

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.–John 13:34

A missionary was sick. He had to come home for treatment. He asked a little girl, “What shall I send you?”

“Somebody to love me,” she sobbed.

That’s the cry at home and abroad.

Let’s love others selflessly. Not for what they can give us, but for what we can give them.

Let’s love others sacrificially. Not to be served, but to serve. Not to be blessed, but to bless.

Let’s love others sympathetically. Feeling their burden, and bearing it. Sensing their need, and supplying it. Sharing their sorrow, and strengthening them.

Our Lord did, and He said, “Love one another; as I have loved you.”

Prayer: O Thou God of love,—-love others through me. Help me to speak love, to show love, to give love, and to live love: this I pray in the name of the One who loved me and died for me. Amen. —By Dr. Michael Guido