Articles
Why Do Your Best?
Why Do Your Best?
“Why should I try to do my best? No one else is doing his best or even cares.” How would you answer this person who was encouraged to do his best? Anytime we say a person ought to do a thing, there should be some good reasons for such an admonition. The following points stress why we should be the best for our heavenly Father.
1) That's all you can do. God hasn't called on you to be more than you can be or do more than you can do. Just do your best!
2) Because of the alternative to not doing your best is doing your worst. This is obviously not desirable. “ Whatsoever thy hands find to do, do it with all thy might” (Ecc.
3) Because of the results of not doing your best. It places a stumbling block in front of others.
4) Because a lost world deserves to see the best life we can live for the Lord. We must let our lights shine before men so they will glorify our father which is in heaven (Matt.
5) Because we are created in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27). This places a unique responsibility upon our shoulders.
6) Because of positive results. People will take knowledge that you have been with Jesus (Acts
7) Because you will develop good habits from being the best for the Lord.
8) Because the church deserves the best effort you can put forth (1Cor.
9) It brings happiness and peace of mind. There is a good feeling in knowing you have done your best for the Lord.
10) Because it will influence others to go and do likewise. So, Do Your Best!
Before…
There was a girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told him, “If I could only see the world, I would marry you. One day, she received a pair of donated eyes. When the bandages came off she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, “Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?” The girl looked at him and saw the he was blind. The sight of his empty eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of having to look at them for the rest of her life moved her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left in tears. A number of days later, he wrote to her saying: “Take good care of your eyes, my Dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.”
This is often how the human mind works when one’s life conditions change. Only a very few remember what life was like before the change and the ones who always remained by their side in the most painful situations.
Before you say an unkind word, think of someone who cannot speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food, think of someone with nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your spouse, think of someone crying out to God for a life companion.
Before you complain about your life, think of someone who went too early to heaven.
Before whining about the distance you have to drive, think of someone who must cover the same distance on foot.
Before you complain about being tired of your job, think of the unemployed and disabled who wish they had your job.
Toothless in Hell?
A gospel preacher was preaching on Heaven and Hell. After painting the glories of heaven, he began to cover the terror of hell. Over an over he mentioned, "weeping and gnashing of teeth" "weeping and gnashing of teeth". Finally an older lady in the audience cried out, "I don't have any teeth!" A silence fell over the preacher and the audience. After a moment, the preacher raised his hand and a pointing finger, shouted, "Teeth... will be provided!"
Inside-Out Again
The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then in turn change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature. (Ezra Taft Benson)
A Moments Wisdom on God
- Some people always sigh when thanking God.
- God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.
- The robe of flesh wears thin, and with the years God shines through all things.
- If God simply handed us everything we want, he'd be taking from us a great prize -- the job of accomplishment.
- God does not want your cleverness -- or your ignorance.
- Men to whom God is dead worship one another.
- They say God is everywhere, and yet we always think of Him as somewhat of a recluse.
- God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road.
- Man's extremity is God's opportunity.
- Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.
- Prayer is not the moment when God and humans are in relationship, for that is always. Prayer is taking the initiative to intentionally respond to God's presence.
- I have always believed that God never gives a cross to bear larger than we can carry. No matter what, he wants us to be happy, not sad. Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn't we?
- God doesn't have to put His name on a label in the corner of a meadow because nobody else makes meadows.
- There are two kinds of people: those that say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'
- Begin to weave and God will give the thread.
- The universe is but only one of God's thoughts.
- Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed.
- A cynic is a man who, upon smelling flowers, looks around for a coffin.
- It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
Upcoming Sermons
10/27/24 AM - Confessing that We are Pilgrims; PM - Reluctant Servants of the Lord
11/3/24 AM - The Appearance of Jesus to Saul of Tarsus; PM - Congregational Choice of Songs
11/10/24 AM - Spending the Night with Lions; PM - Maintaining High Maintenance Christians
11/17/24 AM & PM - Gospel Meeting with Brent Lewis
11/24/24 AM - Questions that Lead Us to Conquer; PM - Act in Haste; Repent in Leisure
