HIS personal calls are rare and unexpected

Doctor Stanley recalled a time when he was faced with a particularly difficult decision. Everything about the opportunity in front of him seemed wrong, like the timing and the circumstances. Choosing to pursue the prospect didn’t really make sense at all. Though, Dr. Stanley simply wanted to turn it down. He understood the importance of praying first. As he spent time with the Lord, God gave him a clear vision of what He expected next from Dr. Stanley’s life. He accepted the seemingly illogical, ill-timed offer and reaped great blessing for his obedience.

As Christians, we expect the Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts through prayer and Scripture. But sometimes God may choose to intervene more directly in a person’s life, as he did with Dr. Stanley that day.

The Bread of Life, july 10th

Looking carefully lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. – Hebrews 12:15. In June 1966, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a celebrated boxer, along with an acquaintance were convicted of murder in a highly publicized and racially charged trial. The boxer maintained his innocence and became his own jailhouse lawyer. After serving 19 years, Carter was released when the verdict was overturned. As a free man, he reflected: “Wouldn’t anyone under those circumstances have a right to be bitter? . . . I’ve learned that bitterness only consumes the vessel that contains it. And for me to permit bitterness to control or infect my life in any way whatsoever would be to allow those who imprisoned me to take even more than, they’ve already taken.”

Prevention is Better than Cure

When it comes to prevention, the majority of allergy sufferers get an “F” on their “Allergy Report Card” according to a recent survey because nearly half wait until symptoms occur before taking action, rather than taking advantage of therapies that can prevent symptoms from occurring. For the survey, conducted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, researchers interviewed 1,000 men and women about their knowledge of allergy triggers, symptoms, prevention and treatment. About half of those surveyed were seasonal allergy sufferers who were also asked questions about their management of their allergies. Unfortunately, most scored poor marks in many areas of allergy knowledge, including the following:

• Awareness, “F.” Only 28 percent said they were very knowledgeable about allergies. In addition, only one in five knew that having a family history of allergies increases their risk of allergies.
• Triggers, “C.” Most could identify common triggers such as pollen, pet dander, and mold. But awareness was lower for other triggers such as cockroaches.
• Symptoms, “F.” About 80 percent said allergy symptoms (such as stuffy nose, congestion, itchy and watery eyes, or a runny nose) disrupt their lives.
• Prevention, “F.” Most fail to act before allergy symptoms occur.
• Treatment, “D.” Many are aware of over-the-counter allergy medications, but many aren’t treating their symptoms because of fears about side effects.

The Healthy Grilling Guide

A new poll by Weber-Stephen Products of more than 1,000 adults forgoing traditional vacations this summer shows that 24% plan to host more barbecues than in past years, and 21% plan to spend more on grilling this season than they typically would. Healthy Grilling Guide Grill owners, industry experts say, also are increasingly adding healthy options to their outdoor meals, including leaner meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, veggie burgers, tofu and fruit. But they don’t always know the quick tricks or have the tools that can make grilling a healthy, delicious feast a snap. Spice It Up If you’re trying to keep your waistline in mind when you’re firing up the grill, a smart place to start is the pantry. You only need a few ingredients to give your meals a lot of flavor, says Jim Shults, spokesperson for Solaire Grills and former publisher of the magazine Barbecue and Beverage.

When working with fruits and vegetables, apply a light coating of oil-olive, canola or Enova (a blend of soy and canola oil that’s lower in saturated fat than canola oil)-and grill over a medium flame (280 to 350 degrees) to avoid burning. If you want grill marks, let the grill heat for a while before you add food and don’t constantly flip pieces, checking to see if they’re done. One easy way to change up veggies, such as parboiled corn, is to apply flavored oil, vinegar or dressing just prior to grilling. Fruits, Shults says, need little beyond oil, since the heat from the grill chemically changes them and brings out their sweetness.

How Good Is Your Faith

“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” — 2 Timothy 4:18. One of the things that amazes me about the apostle Paul is how he always seemed to rise to the top of every situation and seized every opportunity to preach the gospel. We read in the Book Acts that when Paul and Silas were thrown in prison, they began to sing praises to God at midnight. An earthquake struck, the walls fell, and the next thing you know, the very jailer who was responsible for chaining them up and whipping them asked, “What must I do to be saved?”

The Passion of a Believer

A fire won’t continue to burn strongly unless it’s worked on. Similarly, a believer’s passion , if left untended, can diminish. Some new Christians often share their faith passionately. They sense God’s joy and peace. Yet, this zeal can fade unintentionally. From today’s passage, we gather that Timothy had let his flame of faith cool slightly in verses six and seven. Some believers can experience “cooling” for several reasons. When tragedy strikes, a person may feel his prayers went unanswered. This person may think God doesn’t care. If he then prays less, it’s easy to drift away from the Lord. At other times, some Christians can be sidetracked by the world’s priorities. Timothy’s enthusiasm wavered because of false teaching and fear. Whatever the apparent trigger may be, Satan is the underlying cause. He lures believers away from single-minded devotion to Jesus.

The Trials Might be a Storm part 2

We know that Jesus will always see us through any storm. We know, as the British preacher, Graham Scroggie, has put it, “A storm with Christ is better than a calm without Him.” Knowing that, we still seem to respond to the storms of life with anger. Finally, as I read this story, I also realized How often I have stood amazed at the work of God’s hand when the storms are passed! I confess there have been times in my life when, in times of calm, my relationship to my Savior has not been as strong as it should be. And there have been times that my first reaction to the storms of life has been anger and fear, not faith. But I must tell you that time and time again, I have looked back — after the storms have passed — in amazement and awe. I have to admit that things have not always turned out as I might have wished. There have been times when, instead of stilling the storm around me, God has stilled the storm within me.

The Trials Might be a Storm part 1

An old Quaker once stood up in a Friends meeting and told the congregation about a young man whom he knew. This young man lived a very undisciplined life and did not believe in the truths of the faith. One day this young man asked a pious Quaker friend to go sailing. A sudden storm came up and the undisciplined and unbelieving youth was drowned. Having said this, the old Quaker sat down. He had obviously made his point about where undisciplined and irreligious living will lead. But after a few minutes, he stood up again and said to the meeting: “Friends, for the honor of the truth, I think I ought to add that the Quaker also drowned.” No one is exempt from trouble. All of us, at some point in our lives, find ourselves caught in the storms of life. That is certainly what the disciples learned that day on the Sea of Galilee. The day had begun with Jesus preaching and teaching for the crowds on the shore of the sea. But the press of the crowd became so great that Jesus climbed into a boat and pushed out a little way from the shore. From that vantage point He continued to speak to them. As the day drew to a close, Jesus turned to the disciples and said, “Let’s go over to the other side.” After a day of pouring Himself out for the multitudes, Jesus was drained. Shortly after they had cast off from shore, Jesus was asleep in the stern.

The Old Testament Laws

Affectionately known as the “World’s Preacher” for more than 60 years, Rev. Billy Graham is one of the most influential and respected spiritual leaders of the 20th century. He has been a friend and spiritual advisor to ten American presidents and has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history — nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories — through various meetings. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts. Send your queries to “My Answer,” c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

The Bible says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

The Five Stages of Renewal

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America’s largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose-Driven Life and The Purpose-Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. I believe God is preparing the church for another reformation. The first reformation focused on what the church believed; this one will focus on what it does. For too long we’ve separated the Word of God from the work of God. As the church, we’re called to be the body of Christ – the whole body. We’re not just called to be the mouth of Christ, but the feet and hands as well. Every time a new reformation has come, five renewals have preceded it. The awakening and reformation of the global church will begin with churches like yours, and the same five renewals will precede this movement in your church.