Important Scripture Text Information:
Since 2011, I have been sending out a Scripture Text 6 days a week. Some days have been right on track and others have missed by a day or two. During this time, the list has grown. There have been many people added and others have dropped off.
When the list started, I did it on my personal cell phone. As you can imagine, it was difficult to keep up with subscribers and messages of normal life.
Two years into the list, I decided to utilize the Remind Text Message service that school and other organizations were using. This free service was typically available just for schools, but I contacted them and got the “ok” to use it for our service.
Using the Remind Text messages service has run well until a few months ago. Because of changes in the Terms and Conditions of the Remind service, the Scripture Text message service is limited to a certain number of subscribers.
This limitation has affected the list and the amount of people available on the list. This has left me in a search for a new service, but each one is extremely costly.
It would be good to keep in mind that I am using Remind for a few other lists: a Motivational Text list and text message list for our congregation; each of these lists have grown.
Currently, I am searching for a new option for the Scripture Text Message list, and the others, but I cannot find on that works best without a large monthly payment.
If anyone knows of any sites or services that may be of use, please let me know. You can send me a text message on the Remind App or just reply to a Daily Text.
Without finding a new service, the list will stop growing and it will limit our encouragement reach.
Pray for this effort that another option may be found.
Below are the options I am considering. Let me know if you prefer one or none.
- Option #1 – Ask for a minimum donation of $15/year per user to keep the text going on another service.
- Option #2 – Keep using the Remind Service, but only have a limited number of users. (We are at this point now)
- Option #3 – Move the list back to a personal contact list.
- Option #4 – Stop the list.
As I mentioned, these are the current options, but one of these looks to be the way to go.
Thanks for reading.
Remember, I appreciate any thoughts.
The God ordained institution of marriage can best be understood in the relationship of Christ and the church.
As the apostle Paul writes to the growing church in Ephesus, he show them that the marriage relationship in similar to the relationship of Christ and His church. Within this relationship, there is live, submission, respect and sacrifice. When a Christian understands the relation of Christ and the church, he is able to put the same pattern into his marriage.
There is a higher purpose to marriage beyond what this world tends to consider.
Below is a PowerPoint slideshow of the lesson. Through clicking the link, you are able to print a PDF copy of the lesson or download a copy.
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Just some thoughts,
“You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19.14; ESV)
Most will read over this verse and never pay it much thought, but upon considering the ramifications of this verse, the eternal nature of the Lord is clearly seen in the actions of the obedient.
Consider this, if you curse a deaf person, will he even hear it?
The answer is, “No.”
Leviticus 19.14 is a relationship verse; both our relationship to God as well as our relationship to each other.
Clearly a deaf person will not hear a cursing from your lips, but the Lord will. The Lord will see when you do not respect your fellow man and when you are not doing what is right before Him. Our words regarding others when they are not around is nothing more than a reflection of our hearts.
Our words are a reflection of our relationship with the Lord!
God is clear in His word about how we are to treat others. Gossiping and speaking behind others backs does nothing but fuel the fires of negativity and destroys everything. Yes, I said everything.
Each of us know relationship which have been utterly destroyed because of gossip and backbiting. I am sure some can name families that have split, marriages divided and congregations destroyed over gossip and backstabbing. Even King Solomon knew this when he said, “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases” (Proverbs 26.20; ESV)
Questions for a lifetime:
1. Each day, do you spend more time talking about people or to people?
2. When you pray, do you spend more time praying about others or more time praying for others?
3. Do you spend time tearing people down with gossip or building them up with exhortation?
Remember, a “true friends says nice things behind your back.”
Just some thoughts,
A few days ago, I found some notes on my computer containing some words from Karen Burton Mains. Mrs. Mains wrote these well-phrased admonitions about worship in the preface of the hymnbook, Sing Joyfully:
“Worship has been defined as being preoccupied with God. How do we learn to become preoccupied with God? By cultivating intentionality. By deliberately turning our minds toward divine preoccupation. By developing worship habits and working on them. Intentional worship means a worshipper is not going to church expecting that worship will just happen; but intentionality means that a worshipper is going to church determined to make worship happen.
A church bulletin aptly (said): ‘Too many Christians worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship.’ We must learn to work at our worship so that preoccupation with God becomes delightfully habitual.
We must remind ourselves, over and over, that the focus of Sunday worship must be upon the living Christ among us. In truth, if Christ were bodily present and we could see him with more than our soul’s eyes, all our worship would become intentional. If Christ stood on our platforms, we would bend our knees without asking. If He stretched out His hands and we saw the wounds, our hearts would break; we would confess our sins and weep over our shortcomings. If we could hear His voice leading the hymns, we too would sing heartily; the words would take on meaning. The Bible reading would be lively; meaning would pierce to the marrow of our souls.
If Christ walked our aisles, we would hasten to make amends with that brother or sister to whom we had not spoken. We would volunteer for service… If we knew Christ would attend our church Sunday after Sunday, the front pews would fill fastest, believers would arrive early, offering plates would be laden with sacrificial but gladsome gifts, prayers would concentrate our attention.
Yet … Christ is present.
I would say these are very interesting thoughts from Mrs. Maines.
Just some thoughts,
“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
When you think about those words, they are untrue.
We think we fool ourselves by saying them; but the truth is, words hurt.
There are words of encouragement, but when do we use them? God’s revealed word informs us to continually encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13).
Not only do words cut our heart, they influence others.
Think of all the religious names in your community. Chances are they number more than the fingers on your hand and the toes on your feet. There are too many!
All those names hurt everyone. It is a shame each group cannot throw down their name, their creed, their doctrine and abide in the doctrine of Christ.
Think about this quote from John Wesley:
“Would God that all party names and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world were forgotten and that we, as humble loving disciples, might sit down at the Master’s feet, read His Holy Word, imbibe His Spirit and transcribe His life into our own…With regard to the name Christian, I would say, there is none like it; give it to me, and in life and in death I would glorify God in this name.”
What about you?
Will you leave all names and just be a Christian?
Will you leave all books and believe the Bible?
Just some thoughts,
