A well-worn one dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty dollar bill arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank 
to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation.

The twenty dollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the county. "I've had a pretty good life," the 
twenty proclaimed. "Why I've been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, 
performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean."

"Wow!" said the one dollar bill. "You've really had an exciting life!"

"So tell me," says the twenty, "where have you been throughout your lifetime?"

The one dollar bill replies, "Oh, I've been to the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran 
Church ...."

The twenty dollar bill interrupts, "What's a church?"

Two little boys were best friends at church, but they both had a reputation for getting into trouble. 
One Sunday, one of the boys was home sick, but the other boy, not wanting to let his friend down, 
was twice as bad as normal.

As he was running through the sanctuary after church, the pastor grabbed him and angrily said, 
"Where's God?!"

The little boy was frightened and didn't know what to say.

The pastor continued, "I want you to go home and think about it and I don't want you to come back 
until you can tell me where God is."

The boy went home and called his sick friend on the telephone. 
"Guess what," he said. "They've lost God, and they're trying to blame that one on us, too."

Whenever your kids are out of control, 
you can take comfort from the thought that even God's 
omnipotence did not extend to God's kids. 
After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. 
And the first thing He said to them was: "Don't."

"Don't what?" Adam asked.

"Don't eat the Forbidden Fruit." God replied.

"Forbidden fruit? We got Forbidden Fruit?

Hey, Eve..we got Forbidden Fruit!"

"No way!"

"Where?"

"Don't eat that fruit!" said God.

"Why?"

"Because I am your Creator and I said so!" said God, 
wondering why he hadn't stopped after making the elephants.

A few minutes later God saw the kids having an apple break and was angry.

"Didn't I tell you not to eat that fruit?" the 'First Parent' asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you?"

"I dunno," Eve answered.

"She started it!" Adam said.

"Did not!"

"DID so!"

"DID NOT!"

Having had it with the two of them, 
God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own... 
thus the pattern was set, and it has never changed.

MEMORY VERSE: And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed (Romans 13:11).

We live in a strategic period of history. This is not time for lazy, lethargic Christianity. There is too much at stake, too much to do.

Vance Havner hit the target when he wrote: "We have too many casual Christians who dabble in everything but are not committed to anything. They have a nodding acquaintance with a score of subjects but are sold on nothing." Evaluating the conditions in many churches he said, "Most church members live so far below the standard, you'd have to backslide to be in fellowship. We are so subnormal that if we were to become normal, people would think we were abnormal!"

And all this when closing time seems to be upon us! The prospect of the Lord's soon return ought to awaken us to the need of total involvement in taking the gospel to the world. D. L. Moody said, "I have felt like working three times as hard since I came to understand that my Lord is coming again." How has that truth affected your life?

In what areas of Christian responsibility are you lethargic? What would a genuine awakening do to your lifestyle? Which of your present activities would cease? How would your involvement in your church change? What would happen to your giving?

Time is counting down.

Days of opportunity are slipping away.

Christ is coming.

It is high time to awake out of sleep.

MEMORY VERSE: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Most spend their time working and scheming to get visible assets; money, property, stocks, bonds, etc. Yet all these things are temporal...tied to time. And because they are temporal their value is fleeting.

Some material possessions are fleeting in value because our time on earth is limited. No matter how enduring the possession, the lifetime of the possessor determines the life of its usefulness to that person. Homes and automobiles are of no value to those who have passed from this life. The other dimension to the brevity of use of earth's trinkets is the fact that someday they will all be destroyed. In view of this truth, Peter wrote: Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness (2 Peter 3:11).

But some things have lasting value.

Jesus said: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal (Matthew 6:19-20).

Faithful service for Christ may not bring earthly acclaim or material rewards, but treasures in heaven await the Christian who gives of himself in labor for his Lord. Suffering here may be difficult but it cannot be compared with the blessings awaiting those who stand true to the Saviour: For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

MEMORY VERSE: Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17).

God is unchanging...eternal.

And He is in charge of all things.

This compound truth caused Paul to burst forth in a doxology ... a song of praise. In the most difficult of circumstances Paul found reasons to rejoice because he knew that the Eternal God was working out all things well.

Since our Lord is the King eternal, He deserves first place in our lives. However, those who give Him the preeminence often find that it proves costly. A. W. Tozer explains: "The moment we make up our minds that we are going on with this determination to exalt God over all, we step out of the world's parade. We shall find ourselves out of adjustment to the ways of the world, and increasingly so as we make progress in the holy way."

He continues: "Our break with the world will be the direct outcome of our changed relation to God. For the world of fallen men does not honor God. Millions call themselves by His Name, it is true, and pay some token respect to Him, but a simple test will show how little He is really honored among them. Let the average man be put to the proof on the question of who is above, and his true position will be exposed. Let him be forced into making a choice between God and money, between God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time."

But you do not have to be average. Determine by God's grace to break out of the mold; to give the King eternal first place in your heart. The rewards will begin today and continue for ever and ever.

MEMORY VERSE: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2).

Some blame church conditions on the times and long for the good old days, but even in Timothy's time compromise and coldness were becoming epidemic. Paul gave young Timothy good advice for dealing with these problems. He was to preach the Word at every opportunity, applying it in reproof, rebuke, and with exhortation. He was to preach from a heart of love for his hearers, being longsuffering toward them. His sermons were to be filled with the great doctrines of the faith. He was to be true to his calling even though it should bring criticism and persecution. He must do the work of an evangelist, winning souls in both his pulpit and private ministry.

When pastors preach the Word and members apply the Word, putting away foolish divisions and following their pastor in soulwinning and missionary outreach, churches will flourish. Paul's formula doesn't fail. Even today. The power of the gospel is unchanged.

There is a danger in blaming the ills of a church on the times. While present conditions may not be conducive to revival, that does not mean that revival cannot come. Whenever Christians get thoroughly right with God, blessings are sure to result. Revival can come in our day to Christians in America and to any local church. The Bible method of opposing evil and conquering for Christ has not changed. And a genuine revival is our nation's greatest need.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

MEMORY VERSE: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand (2 Timothy 4:6).

Christians go to heaven when they die. Death is departing time. Paul wasn't looking forward to centuries in a grave awaiting the Resurrection. He had already expressed his assurance of arriving in heaven immediately following death: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8); For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain...For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better (Philippians 1:21,23).

As time counts down for the child of God, he is simply approaching his departure date when he will embark for heaven. In her poem, "A Christian Death," Wava Campbell has written:

Nearing his departure date, Paul looked back over life and felt good about his investment of the years. What words of satisfaction and triumph: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).

Having spent his days serving Christ, he could look in both directions at departure time and have confidence.

Are you ready for departing time?

MEMORY VERSE: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Throughout our threescore and ten there are crisis times. Trouble may approach from a number of directions: health, finances, family, storms, earthquakes, national crises, death. in these times of anxiety, it is good to know that we can come to the throne of grace to obtain help for each occasion.

And God knows what we need.

When Adoniram Judson was dying, news came to him that some Jews in Turkey had been converted through reading the account of his suffering in Burma. "This awes me," said Judson to his wife. "This is good news. When I was a young man, I prayed for the Lord to send me to the Jews in Jerusalem as a missionary. But He sent me to Burma to preach and to suffer the tortures of imprisonment. Now, because of my sufferings, God has brought some Jews in Turkey to repentance."

In our deepest sorrows, God understands. Walter Brown Knight shares this helpful thought: "Sometimes when our souls are overwhelmed by sorrow, our prayers lie so deep in our innermost being that we are powerless to articulate them in words. How comforting it is to know that we do not need words to pray prevailingly." Paul agrees: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit [himself] maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26,27).

Troubled?

Tell it to Jesus. He's listening in your time of need.

MEMORY VERSE: And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Hebrews 5:9).

Salvation is eternal.

At the moment of new birth one receives eternal life: Verily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24); And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:11-13).

Since eternal life begins at salvation, simple logic demands that it never be terminated. If eternal life could be lost it would not have been eternal when received. And as we have seen, the Bible says that upon receiving Christ we have eternal life as a present possession.

Each Person of the Trinity guarantees the security of the believer: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one (John 10:27-30); And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

The old hymn says it well:

"More secure is no one ever
Than the loved ones of the Saviour."

Through faith in Christ you have ETERNAL life.

MEMORY VERSE: And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power (Acts 1:7).

The question asked by the disciples just before the ascension of Jesus was to be expected: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? They were familiar with the many prophecies concerning the kingdom and they longed for their fulfillment.

"It is not for you to know...." the Lord replied.

And still no one knows.

Writing on this text, Dr. H. A. Ironside said, "Men persist in endeavoring to ferret out that which is the Father's own secret, and so they attempt by various ways to find out when the King will come...Some day He will make everything plain. When God's time comes prophecy will be fulfilled to the letter."

While the disciples were not told the date of the setting up of the kingdom, they were told what to do at that moment and in the immediate future. They were to wait for the promise of the Father and when that was fulfilled they were to witness at home and to the entire world.

We do not know when Jesus will return but we do know that we are to be busy taking His Word to the world. The disciples were to wait and then witness because the coming of the Holy Spirit would make their witnessing effective. On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came, enabling the disciples to be powerful witnesses. But no more waiting is required. Since Pentecost, all believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body the moment they are born again through faith in Christ. When the King returns...witnessing opportunities will be over.

It's time to witness for Christ today.

What are you waiting for?

MEMORY VERSE: And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:42).

Millions have joined in singing the great song of fellowship, "Blest Be the Tie That Binds," written by John Fawcett, an English Baptist minister. The song was written to commemorate an experience in Fawcett's life.

In 1772, after only a few years in pastoral work, John Fawcett was called to a large and influential church in London. His farewell sermon had been preached in his country church in Yorkshire and the wagons loaded with his furniture and books stood ready for departure to the new home and work.

Fawcett's congregation was brokenhearted.

Men, women, and children gathered about him and his family with sad and tearful faces.

Finally, overwhelmed with the sorrow of those they were leaving, Dr. Fawcett and his wife sat down on one of the packing cases and gave way to tears.

"Oh, John!" lamented Fawcett's wife, "I cannot bear this! I know not how to go!"

"Nor I, either," returned her husband. "And we will not go. The wagons shall be unloaded, and everything put in its old place."

The congregation was filled with joy and their continued fellowship was the basis for the song by John Fawcett that has blessed so many for so long.

The Early Church was strong in fellowship.

The church that is strong in fellowship is strong in its witness in the community.

What are you doing to deepen fellowship in your church?

MEMORY VERSE: Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk (Acts 3:6).

Luke, the physician, wrote the Book of Acts. It is properly called The Acts of the Apostles. And it is a book of action; the story of the Early Church on the move.

The first Christians had little of this world's goods. They had no expensive church buildings, none of the things that make a church appear successful in our day.

People are easily awed by trappings that are designed to impress, but spiritual power is far more important. The church at Laodicea, described in the Book of Revelation, looked prosperous but was poor in the areas that really mattered: Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked... (Revelation 3:17).

As Dr. Luke recorded the experience of Peter and John in their encounter with the lame man, he must have felt the pain and frustration of this one who had been afflicted for so long. Luke knew the limitation of man in helping some who are helpless.

"Silver and gold have I none," said Peter. And the poor man's heart must have drooped. But then the blessing came...he was healed of his affliction.

Peter had neither silver nor gold and therefore was not accountable to give what he did not have. But what he did have was exactly what the blind man needed.

Let us give "such as we have" that others may be blessed.

MEMORY VERSE: And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).

Leaders in the Early Church were men of limitation. They simply could not care for all the needs of all the people all the time. When others in the church began to shoulder responsibility, the church began to move. And that is the Bible plan.

Little is accomplished when all the work of a church is left to the pastor. Regardless of his dedication, drive and discipline, he is but one person and will find himself frustrated in trying to meet the needs of so many.

When a congregation is on the move, its members care for one another and for others. They are not content with spectator Christianity nor even with fulfilling their obligations to serve on boards and committees. Their interest is in personally ministering to people. To them it is not enough to listen to sermons and analyze them. They are, themselves, "sermons in shoes."

Generally great ministers are produced by great churches. Asked once for the secret of his ministerial success, John Wesley answered: "It is the people. From one Sunday to the next they are continually at it."

Christianity began with a tiny minority. Those fiery believers soon multiplied into thousands and gained the reputation of turning the world upside down (see Acts 17:6). But the task was not accomplished by the leaders alone.

Ask your pastor about opportunities to serve. Your desire to help will be a blessing to his heart.

And the activity in the Lord's work will be good for yours.

MEMORY VERSE: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts 1 1:26).

Jerusalem had been the first center of Christianity. When persecution drove believers in all directions they carried the good news of Christ's death and resurrection with them. The gospel took root in Antioch with many turning to the Lord, and word of the work there spread throughout the area. When people get on fire for Christ, the news gets out. Let any church have genuine revival and interest will grow to the point that visitors will come from great distances. That happened in Antioch and when the word reached Jerusalem they sent Barnabas to investigate.

Barnabas was impressed with the happenings in Antioch. We are told that he saw the grace of God. That is, he observed the work of God in the lives of the converts in Antioch and the evidence of Holy Spirit conviction in the hearts of those who had not yet believed.

Convinced that the church at Antioch had a great future, Barnabas went to seek for Saul (later called Paul) so that he could teach these new converts the basics of their new life in Christ. Saul accepted the invitation and for a year he and Barnabas met with the believers in Antioch, teaching them God's Word and encouraging them in the faith.

What a great year it was!

The community recognized these believers as people whose lives were centered in Christ and they began to call them "Christians." The name has stayed with us through all these centuries.

Do others think of you as a Christian? Do you walk worthy of the name?

MEMORY VERSE: Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands (Acts 14:3).

Upon arriving in Iconium, the apostles enjoyed great success: many believed. Perhaps the reason for this is found in Acts 13:52: And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. Matthew Henry says: "The apostles spake so plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; that those who heard them could not but say God was with them of a truth."

Notice that the first preaching of the gospel in Iconium was done in the synagogue. This was nearly always the case in any city where the apostles started a ministry. It is important to remember that this preaching in the synagogue did not constitute a church service as we know it today. The Early Church met on the first day of the week for fellowship, preaching, the breaking of bread, and prayer. They went to the synagogues to preach to those who had come there as loyal Jews and who needed to hear the gospel. These meetings in the synagogues were preaching missions...evangelistic efforts...sometimes debates. They took place on the Sabbath Day. When a church was established from the converts won at the synagogue the believers met on the first day of the week (see Acts 20:7).

The people of Iconium were soon divided over the gospel. Opposition organized and it became dangerous to speak for Christ. Nevertheless, the apostles spoke boldly and God honored their faith. Fear and faith are opposites.

Speak boldly for Christ today.