June 22, 2010

Number 25

VIEWPOINT

Bill Bouknight, in Collected Sermons, speaks of the impala.

The impala is an African antelope with a supercharged spring.

It has a vertical leap of over ten feet and can broad jump over thirty feet. You would think that the zoos of the world would find it impossible to keep such an animal enclosed. Not so!

It’s rather easy, because the experts discovered something about the impala:  it will not jump unless it can see where it is going to land. Therefore, a solid wall even six feet tall is a sufficient enclosure.

Lots of Christians have the impala’s problem.  They won’t jump into any new work unless they have all the answers in advance about where that decision will take them.  But God is looking for some bold believers who, even in the face of the unknown, will leap when the Bible says jump. 

“Launch out into the deep” (Luke 5:4).

(Thanks to Alan Henderson who gave me the article about Impala Christians.)

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TAKE TWO:  Several comments have been made recently in our assemblies that need repeated emphasis.  For example:

“God called Abraham ‘Father’ before he actually was a father.  Likewise, God calls us ‘saints’ before we start acting with spiritual maturity” (Alan Henderson).

“We are most likely to fall to temptation immediately after we have passed up an opportunity to do something good” (Alfred Donald). 

“Paul the Apostle experienced two extremes during the storm and shipwreck – first no one trusted his advice; later everybody listed to him and even called him a ‘god.’ So we shouldn’t be too concerned about human evaluations” (Jimmy Pulliam).

I look forward to seeing you Sunday with a Bible, a smile, and a positive word!                                                           RA

More than Survivors

2010 Wednesday Summer Series

Those who are more than survivors . . .

Walk by Faith not By Sight (Like Abraham)

June 9                   Alan Henderson

 Don’t Let Sin Get the Best of Us (Like David)

June 9                      Alfred Donald

 Risk Everything for God and His People

(Like Ruth)

June 16                     Scott Franks

 Serve God with Passion (Like Joshua)

June 23                      Patrick Gray

 Rebuild Spiritual Protection (Like Nehemiah)

June 30                                 Mike Sparks

 Always Does Good (Like Tabitha)

 July   7                    Ron Bradshaw

 Make Spiritual Choices (Like Moses)

    July 14                      Taylor Hammett

 Serve God with Passion (Like Joshua)

    July 24                      Dan Thompson

 Engage Spiritual Battles with Courage

(Like Elijah)

July 28                     Bob Staples

See Possibilities Not Just Problems (Like Caleb)

August 4                    Ben Slocumb

Hold on to Their Dreams (Like Jacob)

August 11              Barry Blackburn

Share God's Love with Those Around Us

(Like Paul)

August 18                   Chris King

Look at Life through God's Perspective

(Like Joseph)

August 25                 Ron Edwards

Watch Out for Compromises (Like Daniel)

September 1               Mitch Grubb