Quote from Forum Archives on August 12, 2003, 12:45 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Bill Bright was one of the most influential Christian evangelists of
the twentieth and early twenty first centuries. His calling in life
was to draw people to Jesus Christ. He formed Campus Crusade for
Christ, which began on college campuses, but by no means was limited
only to colleges and universities.

I share his message today because humbling ourselves really is a
prerequisite to knowing Christ. You see, so many of us think we have
so much intellectual knowledge, we've studied in college, we've
attained degrees of higher learning, we've been successful, and we
think we have everything it takes to be a success. We think that
we're good people too, and somehow our goodness will be worth
something.

Well, all of those endeavors have value, and I wouldn't diminish their
worth for a moment, unless those things become a substitute for
relying on the One True God. In that case, I'd suggest that our hard
work is in vein. It is God who defines the laws of Physics, Biology,
and every other science, it is God who has created history, and in
fact, the word history really comes from "His Story", referring to the
story of creation, leading to the revelation of God's own Son, Jesus
Christ.

We can't see God, at least not in the sense that we see the computer
screen or our lunch on the table. We see God in the evidence of the
things around us. We don't see wind, but we sure know it's there.

My personal passion is to share my own hope that I've found in
Christ. Occasionally I share my own stories, usually I simply share
the stories of others and comment on them. Today's story from Bill
Bright rings true in my heart. It's my personal prayer that if you've
never had a personal experience with the true and living God, through
His Son, that today would be that day for you. I'm always willing to
share my own testimony, and I will do so privately with anyone who's
interested in it.

To supplement today's note, you may want to read (or read again) the
second chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippians, particularly the
first eleven verses. In it, you'll see the humility of Jesus Christ,
and gain a further appreciation of what this word means and what this
attitude is all about.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

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INSIGHTS from Bill Bright
Reflections from the late Founder and President/Chairman Emeritus of
Campus Crusade for Christ International

A great scholar humbles himself

Dear friends:

One day I received a telephone call from a friend. He was working for
his doctorate in one of the most prestigious theological seminaries in
America. He asked if I would go with him to call on the head of the
seminary, who was also his professor. He explained to me that his
professor was a good man, a wonderful person and a brilliant scholar,
but that he denied the deity of Christ.

This professor was one of the great church historians of this century.
He was a famous theologian who had helped to train many thousands of
young men to become pastors and other Christian leaders.

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When we arrived and I was introduced, his immediate response was: "Mr.
Bright, when you talk to college students about becoming a Christian,
what do you tell them?" I was skeptical of his sincerity and weighed
my words carefully.

He then asked a second question, "Better still, what would you tell
me? I would like to become a Christian?"

He added that his father was a great scholar who had greatly
influenced his own views. The father did not believe in the deity of
Christ. He believed Jesus was a good man who had a profound influence
upon the world, but was not God.

The professor continued, "About five years ago I began to reevaluate
my personal beliefs and I began to study in earnest the writings of
the church fathers and the original manuscripts concerning Jesus. The
more I studied, the more convinced I became that Jesus is the Son of
God." And when he asked, "Will you help me" (and I shall never forget
this phrase) "know Him as my personal Savior?" I was deeply moved.

He also made a profound statement: "As a result of my research," he
said, "I am now convinced that no honest person who is willing to
consider the overwhelming evidence proving the deity of Christ can
deny that He is the Son of God." Then he said, "Now, will you pray
for me? I want to know Jesus as my personal Savior?"

I prayed for him, my friend prayed, and he prayed. And that day a
great scholar met the living Christ in the spirit of a little child.

Yours for fulfilling the Great Commission
each year until our Lord returns,

Bill Bright

-------

The late Dr. Bill Bright was Founder and President/Chairman Emeritus
of Campus Crusade for Christ, an organization which began as a campus
ministry in 1951 and now has more than 27,000 full-time staff and up
to 500,000 trained volunteer staff in 196 countries in areas
representing 99.6 percent of the world's population. In the past 50
years, Campus Crusade for Christ has seen approximately 6 billion
exposures to the gospel worldwide. The film, "JESUS," which Bright
conceived and funded through Campus Crusade for Christ, is the most
widely translated and viewed film of any type ever produced. Since its
use began in 1980, the film has been translated into 812 languages and
viewed or listened to by some 5.5 billion people in 236 countries.
Dr. Bright was also the author of more than fifty books. Dr. Bright
recently co-founded Global Pastors Network to "Touch, Teach and Train"
a group of 5 million new house churches around the world 24/7/365 at
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.78.13753.1.293748.

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Copyright (c) 2003, Bill Bright. All rights reserved. However,
readers may copy and distribute this message as desired, without
restrictions in number, as long as the content is not altered.
Forwarding this e-mail to friends is encouraged. For many free
evangelistic and spiritual growth materials, visit the Campus Crusade
for Christ Web site at
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.78.13753.2.293748. See
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.78.13753.3.293748 for Bill
Bright's own materials.

Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.78.13753.4.293748

For Copyright Terms visit
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.78.13753.5.293748

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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