Upside Down himtall, January 24, 2003 at 11:08:00 AM GMT
by Tim Hall (Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday . . .) Across my desk each week flow several different bulletins from churches across the country. I occasionally get good ideas or information from them, so I take a moment or two to scan each of them. Some time back, I opened one to find that the inside had been copied upside down. It was really a minor thing, and easily corrected. A few days before that, another item came to my attention that I would also call upside down. This one will not be so easily corrected. The quote: "Farmers who grow the wheat used in Wheaties cereal get only half as much money as Tiger Woods receives from the boxes that carry his picture" (Current Thoughts and Trends, June 2001). Let me get this straight: General Mills pays more to have a photo on the Wheaties cereal boxes than for all the wheat that goes into the boxes' contents? Incredible! It's all about marketing, of course. You may have a superior product, but if no one knows about it, you'll never get rich. One way to get people's attention is by using celebrities to advertise your product. Wheaties has done this with sports heroes for decades. But this quote also says something about the values of Americans. One man who plays a game better than anyone else can make more money than hundreds of men and women who provide much more fundamental service to our country. And it's not just farmers. There are many professions that are significantly undervalued: Police officers, teachers, firefighters, nurses, (preachers?), etc. Yet where would our society be without any one of these groups? Do we value the things that matter most? That's a good question for Christians to think about. In our society, there are so many things that call out for our attention. Many of those things are not evil -- they're good in and of themselves. But have we neglected the things that are most important by fixing our attention on things of lesser value? "For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13, New King James Version). Nothing -- absolutely nothing -- is more important than our relationship with God. We must make sure we never neglect time with Him because we are too busy with more trivial pursuits. Being right with our Lord will keep life from becoming upside down! ... subscribe
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Update on FMag Forthright Magazine continues, more dynamic than ever! We have groups created for FMag on Facebook and the Churches of Christ Network. Announcement blog is up and going on Preachers Files. Email lists about FMag and FPress are available both on Yahoo and GoogleGroups. And, to top it all off, we're twittering for both on Twitter.com. by randal @ 1/20/09, 11:55 AM How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:24--47 How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless Yes, it is popular to say that we are not supposed to judge, but the truth is we all make judgments about many things daily. Otherwise, we would never succeed in life. The real question is what is our guide for judging. Why can we not simply follow the example of our Master and Lord? He said, 30 "I can of Myself ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:08 AM Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Chronicles 1--3 Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? Think on the manner, in which the Book of First Chronicles begins, 1 Adam, Seth, Enosh (1 Chr. 1:1). In this way begins the longest genealogy in the Bible. The names continue to the end of the ninth chapter! Were these just names? Adam; who is he? You know there is more in the Bible than the mere mention of his name in ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:05 AM ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:1--23 Jesus healed a man. Praise God! However, Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Uh oh. Some people were ready to kill Jesus for this perceived violation of the Sabbath Law. 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath (Joh. 5:16). Jesus did a good thing. Yet, people criticized Him severely for it. And they were not people ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:03 AM They Were His Servants by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 24 and 25 They Were His Servants As the writer of Second Kings explains whom the Lord sent against Judah, the writer said that this was 2 ...according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken by His servants the prophets (2 Kin. 24:2). Those great men we have honored for centuries were nothing more than servants of the Lord God. What does that make us? Do you do something ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:01 AM ...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 4:30--54 The disciples went into a town to buy food while Jesus remained out of the town. There He engaged a woman in conversation. When the disciples returned, here is what happened, 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know" (Joh. 4:31, 32). As you read the Gospel According to John, watch ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:59 AM Having a Tender Heart by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 22 and 23 Having a Tender Heart When Josiah heard the word of God for the first time, he tore his clothes, knowing of the wrath that was upon Jerusalem for the idolatry of his forefathers. Therefore, he sent messengers to a prophetess to inquire of the Lord. He did have a message for Josiah. God said through the prophetess, 19 "...because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before ... more ... by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:56 AM
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