Here is the great evangelical disaster – the failure of the evangelical world to stand for truth as truth. There is only one word for this – namely accommodation. The evangelical church has accommodated to the world spirit of the age. First, there has been accommodation on Scripture, so that many who call themselves evangelicals hold a weakened view of the Bible and no longer affirm the truth of all the Bible teaches – truth not only in religious matters but in the areas of science and history and morality… This accommodation has been costly, first in destroying the power of the Scriptures to confront the spirit of our age; second, in allowing the further slide of our culture. Thus we must say with tears that it is the evangelical accommodation to the world spirit around us, to the wisdom of this age, which removes the evangelical church from standing against the breakdown of our culture.
Francis Schaeffer

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Clay Balls

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#1 · May 19, 2003, 8:08 am

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

<> Clay Balls <>
 
I remember reading a story once about a man who was exploring some caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the cave with him.
As he strolled along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw. He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone. Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure.
He found hundreds of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of hundreds of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home thousands, but he just threw it away.
You know sometimes, it's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person by God.
There is a treasure in each and every one of us. The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. I don't think he means just our physical bodies. I think he means our spiritual selves, which are sometimes hidden from others by the *earthen vessel*. But if you take the time to get to know that person, and if you ask the Father to show you that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.
The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.
 
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  <> God's Will Done <>

 
   Start Over
   When you've trusted God and walked his way.
   When you've felt his hand day by day.
   But your steps now take you another way...
   Start over.
 
   When you've made your plans and they've gone awry.
   When you've tried your best and there's no more try.
   When you've failed yourself and you don't know why...
   Start over.
 
   When you've told your friends what you plan to do.
   When you've trusted them and they didn't come through
   and now you're all alone and it's up to you...
   Start over.
 
   When you've failed your kids and they're grown and gone.
   When you've done your best but it's turned out wrong
   and now your grandchildren have come along...
   Start over.
 
   When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will.
   When you've prayed and prayed and you don't know still.
   When you want to stop cause you've had your fill...
   Start over.
 
   When you think you're finished and want to quit.
   When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit .
   When you've tried and tried to get out of it...
   Start over.
 
   When the year has been long and successes few.
   When December comes and you're feeling blue .
   God gives a January just for you...
   Start over.
 
   Starting over means "Victories Won"
   Starting over means "A Race well Run"
   Starting over means "God's Will Done"
   Don't just sit there..............
   START OVER.
 
   Have a Blessed Day
   Dave and Barbara
 
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