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This post isnt personal, but I wanted to share the message contained in it.  God bless you all as you endeavor to work for Him.

Living With Heaven in Your Heart
by Karen Braun

I am eternally grateful to the one man who was obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit because the result changed lives- including mine!

My father had the noose around his neck and was ready to jump from the loft of the barn, because Mom had told him that she was going to leave him.

Just then, the dog on the farm started barking because Wes, an old drinking buddy of my dad’s - who was now a Christian - came to ask permission to take my brothers to Vacation Bible School. (My mom was pregnant with me at the time.)

Dad slipped off the noose and went to greet him. It was around the kitchen table that Wes shared the wonderful hope, peace and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. And it was there that both my mom and dad got down on their knees and cried out to God to save them.

God delivered my dad of his alcoholism that day and brought healing and restoration to my parents’ marriage in the days and months and years to come. And God has since brought hundreds, if not thousands, into the kingdom because of His touch on my parents and my family. Three of us four kids are now in full-time ministry. I can’t help but wonder: what if Wes hadn’t obeyed?

I am persuaded to believe that your and my obedience is a critical link in the chain of someone’s eternal destination.

I just heard the other day of a man who had a friendship with some neighbors for 20 years. The neighbor died, and he was asked to speak at the funeral. After the service, he shared the grief of not being able to offer any hope at this funeral because he knew his neighbor did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It became even more painful because he realized that in his 40 years of being a Christian, not once had even cared to share the hope of Jesus, not with anyone. Now he was faced with knowing it was was too late for his neighbor, and who knows whom else. Oh, the regret.

As we begin a new year, we can find comfort in knowing that God has already been ahead. May I challenge you to have your antennae tuned into the opportunities the Lord will bring your way? God knows by name those He is calling to Himself in your community, in your workplace, in your circle of acquaintance. He has come to seek and save the lost. He has already called you and placed you in their lives to pray His heart for them and to be love in action.

I recently learned that God used the small act of my husband and me holding hands to pray before a meal in a restaurant to call to Himself a young man who was watching us. He is now a pastor. Go figure!

Together, we can be intentional about being obedient and giving hope! It may mean the difference of eternity for one soul or maybe even thousands! His Spirit will lead and direct because it is all about Him! May He overwhelm you with your need of hope, so that as you freshly live in His love and forgiveness, you will become hope to others!

A wonderful testimony of the wonderous ways our Father works, and a truth that so many need to hear. Bless you for sharing it with us.

" Then He said to His desciples, (which includes us), "the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few." [Matt. 9.37].

Let us put the ways of the world behind us, and become a laborer for the One who died for us.
Love in Christ. Roy.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…"

Some scriptures are quoted so frequently that the depth of their meaning is often lost in familiarity. One such scripture can be found in Philippians 2 verse 5: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…" But what does this really mean? What exactly is the mind of Christ?

If you were to ask 100 well-meaning Christians if they would like to develop the mind of Christ, you would probably hear a "Yes" from every one before you even finished your sentence. But the question is more a matter of who is committed to paying the price and willing to go through the real life experiences that this development requires. Being possessed with the mind of Christ is an absolute necessity, made all the more important because of the growing evil and deception around us today.

The mind of Christ makes the difference between a preacher and a minister, a student of the Bible and a true disciple, an education and a revelation, a tinkling cymbal and the genuine fruit of the Spirit.

To have the mind of Christ is to be possessed with the ability to respond to life's situations and people in the same manner our Lord Jesus would, to recognize the difference between light and darkness and have our priorities in the right perspective.

God's Position

All of us have pedestals on which we place those things that are most dear to us such as God, family, work, or any number of things. The problem is that these pedestals are all of differing heights. The higher the pedestal the more important we deem what is on it. And so the question is, among all the pedestals in our lives, on what pedestal does God sit? Keep in mind that the position of that priority is not dependant of what we declare verbally but on how we live daily. After all, our priorities-as reflected in day-to-day life- are the greatest indication of the validity of our conversion.

Perhaps the greatest thing about the mind of Christ is that God is always maintained as the pivotal focus - no matter what. Plain and simple, Christ was single-minded and strove to serve and glorify God at every opportunity. Having integrity and a feeling of accountability toward God is exactly what the mind of Christ represents.

Whether in the wilderness, on a boat, at a wedding or preaching, Christ was consistent and focused in His purpose. But with so many things clamouring for our attention today it is difficult to maintain focus for long, especially because of our temptation and weakness. A lot of times we are more driven by circumstance than principle. Nevertheless, 1 Peter 4:1 admonishes us to "arm" ourselves with this mind that we may have the wherewithal to war against the lusts of this world and seek rather to follow the will of God.

Our service to God must not be sacrificed for anything or anyone.

A 'Reach-Out' Spirit

The mind of Christ is a mind that seeks out opportunity to do good, to lighten loads and draw people to truth. Even if it means inconvenience, the mind of Christ looks beyond temporary comfort esteeming the needs of others greater than its own. Starting small by going out of your way to give someone a ride, buy someone some groceries or visiting a lonely or sick person is a good way to begin developing this mind. It is a matter of taking and seeking opportunity to do good and meet needs regardless of the response or your personal acclaim. Remember, you can't live "Two in the Godhead" or "The First Resurrection" but you can reach out to others without murmuring.

One thing must be clear. You can reach out based on your convenience or your abundance, and yet, though this is not an evil, look how far Paul was willing to go: "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all." (v.17). The greatest gift the ministry can receive is to see people begin to develop this mind and the fruit that comes with it.




(to read the rest of this excellent article if you have time)
http://www.themidnightcry.com/articles/oct02/mind_christ.htm

Oh, so Irish is just a "guest" now, huh?


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I think that means she deleted her user name.