I have tried to say with as much clarity as possible, and often, that the assurance a (child) has that he or she is actually a Christian does not have to do with praying a prescribed prayer, being affirmed by a Christian leader, walking an aisle, signing a card or raising a hand, but whether that person has life from God… What are these signs of life? 1. There is the sign of repenting and believing itself. The dead boy or girl now trusts Christ as his or her only hope for heaven. There is no mixture of trust in self or works or religion, but only in Christ and what He has done and will do. 2. There is a new valuing of the Scriptures. I cannot say this clearly enough. If I am to know you, I will know you principally by your words as you express yourself and communicate your thoughts. God’s Word is His principal communication of Himself. But it is more than just the words themselves that is important in this change. It is the Spirit working in the words that gives understanding and that “knowing” of Christ. Christ said, “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6:45). This is granted – and not to all (Matthew 13:11). 3. There is obedience from the heart. All kids may be taught to obey like Pavlov’s dogs. If there is enough discipline and incentive, any child can straighten up. And, it is right for parents to expect this obedience even from unconverted children. Yet, when a child is made alive there is a new sensitivity to sin and a new and higher motivation and inner compulsion to obey. You will see obedience from the heart as if the child were newly constituted. In fact, he is. I am not saying that he will be perfect, any more than you are. But something has taken place on the inside that is unmistakable.
Jim Elliff

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Word for Today, Wed, 28 Dec 2005: Extravagant Giving

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#1 · December 28, 2005, 8:34 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Wed, 28 Dec 2005: Extravagant Giving
Dear friends,

What was the most extravagant gift that you ever received? At first thought,
many of us might think about some certain gift given to us by a relative, best
friend, or loved one.

Well, when we think about it a bit more, our number one loved one, Jesus
Christ, was an absolutely awesome giver! He gave unreservedly, even to many
who choose not to receive Him.

Max Lucado, another of my favorite Christian authors, writes about the
extravagant giving of Christ.

Think about it. Would you ever consider giving even a tenth as extravagantly
to Him?

Yours in Christ,
Brian

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UpWords from Max Lucado

Extravagant Giving

We delight in giving our loved ones extravagant gifts, don't we? Especially at
Christmas. Yes, we give gifts throughout the year- birthdays, anniversaries,
and other special occasions-but at Christmas time, we put a little more effort
into finding that extra special gift for that special person, or persons, in
our lives.

An engagement ring. A family portrait. A special edition leather-bound book. A
set of golf clubs. Diamond earrings. A puppy. Whatever the gift might be, we
want it to be a bountiful expression of our love.

Maybe it has something to do with the lavishness of the gift that first
Christmas morning, the extravagance of love that came in the form of a tiny,
helpless newborn. Consider the gift for a moment, what Jesus really did. He
swapped a spotless castle for a grimy stable.

He exchanged the worship of angels for the company of killers. He could hold
the universe in his palm but gave it up to float in the womb of a maiden.

He humbled himself. He went from commanding angels to sleeping in the straw.
>From holding stars to clutching Mary's finger. The palm that held the universe
took the nail of a soldier.

Why? Because that's what love does. It puts the beloved before itself. Your
soul was more important than his blood. Your eternal life was more important
than his earthly life. Your place in heaven was more important to him than his
place in heaven, so he gave up his so you could have yours.

And that's what extravagant giving is all about-love, God's love, a love that
knows no limits, no end. The Christmas kind of love. The type of love we are
commanded to give to others: "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love
each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other" (John 13:34
NLT).

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

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