ARE YOU WALKING OUT 4/10/2006?

HI EVERYONE,
I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WHERE I WILL BE ON 4/10/2006. SOME OF YOU MIGHT ASK WHAT THAT DATE IS, LET ME TELL YOU. IT IS THE DAY THAT THE MEXICAN'S WILL BE WALKING OFF THEIR JOBS OR EVEN NOT COMING IN @ ALL TO SHOW AMERICA THAT WE NEED THEM. IT IS TRUE WE DO NEED THEM IF THEY ARE LEGAL CITIZENS, NOT IF THEY ARE ILLEGALLY HERE. THEY NEED TO GET THEIR CITIZENSHIP HERE IN THE USA & PAY TAXES JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE HARD WORKING TAX PAYING CITIZENS. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT THE TAX PAYING CITIZENS HAVE TO LOSE THEIR FUTURE BENEFITS BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO COME INTO THE USA & WORK & EARN TAX FREE MONEY. IT IS A PRIVILEGED TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY, THE FREEDOM WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE WANT WHEN WE WANT IS GREAT & THOSE COMING INTO THE COUNTRY HAVE TO APPRECIATE THAT. ON 4/10/2006 I WILL BE @ WORK EARNING MY TAXABLE WAGES JUST LIKE ANY AMERICAN CITIZEN WILL THAT DAY. SO I ASK AGAIN, ARE YOU WALKING OUT 4/10/2006?

What would you do if this was you?

* This message is from Greg Laurie w/ Harvest Ministries

The Ultimate Sacrifice

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."
— John 3:16


I heard a true story about a man who operated a drawbridge. At a certain time every afternoon, he raised the bridge for a ferryboat to go by, and then lowered it in time for a passenger train to cross over. He performed this task precisely, according to the clock.

One day, he brought his son to work so he could watch. As his father raised the bridge, the boy got excited and wanted to take a closer look. His father realized his son was missing and began looking for him. To his horror, his son had come dangerously close to the bridge's gears. Frantic, he wanted to go rescue him, but if he left the controls, he would not be back in time to lower the bridge for the approaching passenger train.

He faced a dilemma. If he lowered the bridge, his son would be killed. If he left it raised, hundreds of others would die. He knew what he had to do. With tears streaming down his face, he watched the passenger train roll by. On board, two women chatted over tea. Others were reading newspapers. All were totally unaware of what had just transpired. The man cried out, "Don't you realize that I just gave my son for you?" But they just continued on their way.

This story is a picture of what happened at the Cross. God gave up His beloved Son so that we might live. But most people don't give it a second thought. How about you? Are you conscious of the ultimate sacrifice God made on your behalf? Will you be sure to thank Him?

Which way are you walking?

* This message is from Greg Laurie w/ Harvest Ministries

Going His Way?

"Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?"
— Amos 3:3

I have a German shepherd that was a former guide dog for the blind. Because he had slight hip dysplasia, he was put up for adoption. When we got him, he was perfectly trained. We could take him anywhere. He was happy to sit next to us. Another dog would walk by, and he could care less.

Then I got a hold of him. I would unleash him and let him run around in the park. Day by day, he started getting worse. The next thing you know, he was lunging at dogs. He was chasing rabbits all the time.

I called the people we got him from and asked what went wrong. They told me I couldn't let him do all that "dog stuff." I couldn't let him stop and sniff where he wanted to sniff. I couldn't let him chase rabbits. They gave me a little muzzle-like device to put on him. Gaining control of his muzzle meant he would obey, because it would hurt to pull away. When I took the device off of him, he was in sync with me again.

We can be like that with God sometimes. We are running around and being crazy, doing what we want to do. So the Lord has to pull us back into line, because He wants us to walk with Him.

To walk with God means that I must get into harmony with Him. I must go the direction that God wants me to go.

How about you? Are you walking with God today? Or, are you pulling against Him, trying to do things your own way? If so, then it's time to stop, ask God's forgiveness, and get in sync with Him once again.

How would you give?

* This message is from Greg Laurie w/ Harvest Ministries

Blessed to Be a Blessing

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.
— 2 Corinthians 9:10


A pastor once asked a farmer in his congregation, "If you had $200, would you give $100 to the Lord?"

"Yes I would, Pastor," the farmer said.

So the pastor asked, "If you had two cows, would you give one of those cows to the Lord?"

"Yes, I would," he replied.

Then the pastor said, "Now, if you had two pigs, would you give one of them to the Lord?"

"Now that isn't fair," the farmer said. "You know I have two pigs."

As long as it is theoretical, we are fine with the idea of giving. But for many of us, when it gets down to the reality of what we have, it's another issue. Yet as we give to God, He will give to us. The Bible says, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). God has blessed you to be a blessing to others. This verse is not saying you should give to get. But it is saying that when you have received from God, you should give, and God will bless your generosity and give you more to give again.

God makes a radical promise in the Book of Malachi: "Prove Me now in this . . . if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10). God will bless as we give to Him.