Ten Little Christians

Romans 14:17-19

^"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."

There's nothing more disheartening in the church than to see divisions of any kind. It holds back the ministries and the work of the Holy Ghost. The only serious division should come from rightly dividing His word (II Tim. 2:15).

To be sure, every thing should be done in love. Christ told his disciples as much. In John 13:34-35, He said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Also, consider I John 4:7-8:
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

Please consider Scripture and the poem below. I know it got me to think about my words, actions and motives. May the Lord bless you richly.



Ten Little Christians
Ten Little Christians came to church all the time;
One fell out with the preacher, then there were nine.

Nine Little Christians stayed up late;
One overslept on Sunday, then there were eight.

Eight Little Christians on their way to Heaven;
One took the low road, then there were seven.

Seven Little Christians, chirping like chicks;
One didn't like the singing, then there were six.

Six Little Christians seemed very much alive;
One took a vacation, then there were five.

Five Little Christians pulling for Heaven’s shore;
One stopped to take a rest, then there were four.

Four Little Christians each as busy as a bee;
One had his feelings hurt, then there were three.

Three Little Christians couldn't decide what to do;
One couldn't have his way, then there were two.

Two Little Christians each won one more;
Now don't you see, two plus two equals four.

Four Little Christians worked early and late;
Each brought one, now there were eight.

Eight Little Christians if they double as before;
In just seven Sundays, we have one thousand twenty four.

In this jingle there is a lesson true;
You belong either to the Lord, or to the wrecking crew.

-Author Unknown

Brothers Til the End

Mark 3:17
And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

I came across the meaning of the word, boanerges, which means sons of thunder. And I got to thinking about these men and their professions. They were fishermen and called by Jesus (Matt. 4:21). So, I imagine that these Galilean men were out on their boats, fishing, baking in the sun, hauling in their catch with their bare hands. They had to be very strong. Have you ever tried lifting something up out of the water? The water tugs at you and there's the sucking of the sea as you pull, a liquid resistance, if you will. I imagine their hands had callous upon callous because of the ropes that made up the net and the salty sea healing up those cuts (not to mention the fish scales slicing into their hands and the sea water working its way into the bleeding wounds). These men must've barked at each other over the howling squalls. These brothers loved being on the boats as much as they loved each other. After all, the brothers sat and mended the nets together.

As brothers are apt to do (I, too, have a younger brother and know this to be true), they tend to compete with each other; brag and exaggerate; tease about this matter or that; speak over each other; and, even finish the other's sentences, probably with a salty rejoinder to liven things up. Their silences, when they were busy at a task or angry at each other, were just as loud. No, these brothers probably weren't into clever banter. Just honest (and loud) talk with one another, as it should be among brothers. Maybe that's the reason they were called sons of thunder because they were boisterous, good ol' Galilean boys, roughnecks, who talked loud and live loud.

Don't you know that iron sharpeneth iron, Reader?

One illustration that we find in the Bible about these brothers' temperament is revealed in Luke 9:51-56. Let's read what happens:

"And it came to pass, when the time was come that [Jesus Christ] should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."

Can you see these brothers being indignant about how Christ was treated and how they backed each other up? I can. As an older brother, I certainly can relate to backing up my brother. They wanted Jesus to call down hellfire and smoke the Samaritans. Jesus, though, had other ideas in mind. He wanted to save and not destroy the people of Samaria.

Aren't you glad and grateful that you're no longer under condemnation (Rom 8:1-2) when you believe what the Son of God, Jesus Christ, did for you at Calvary? He's come to save you, too, and not destroy you. That is Good News, indeed!

As I read about what became of them in the Bible, I can't help to wonder what John thought or felt upon knowing that James had been killed:

"Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword." Acts 12:1-2.

I'm sure John grieved and mourned the loss of his brother while at the same time rejoicing that James was now with the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8).

John was banished to the Island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9). On that desolate Island, John received visions of the future and the Lord's words were recorded by him. The compilation of these visions and letters to the seven churches form the Book of Revelation.

As he lived on that island, I'm guessing that there were times he thought about his fishing days with his brother as he looked out into the bright blue Mediterranean Sea. He might've even got lost in thoughts of his youth and the joshing & joking that only brothers can know. I like to think that even though these men were in 2 different time zones (ie, temporally and heavenly), John comforted himself in knowing that one day he would be reunited with James. And both would hug and rejoice upon seeing each other and would bow down before Jesus Christ the King in gratitude for allowing them to share eternity together with the Lord of Lords.

All believers in Christ Jesus are brothers until the end. Are you one?

Eternity with Jesus can be yours, too. Here's how: The Plan of Salvation

Your Worth to the Father

Isaiah 49:16
"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;"





A well-known preacher began his sermon by holding up a $100.00 bill.

In the auditorium of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $100 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $100 to one of you, but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $100 dollar bill.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still, the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"

Yet, the hands went into the air.

"My friends," he said, "There's a valuable lesson in this illustration. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $100. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and by the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened, what is happening or what will happen, you will never, never ever lose your value in God's eyes. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to your Heavenly Father. The worth of your lives comes not in what you do or your social standing in life or what political influences you wield. The life is worth very much - indeed, worth more than gold - because you were purchased with the most precious commodity there is in life. You were bought with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ at Calvary. You are special to God and the proof is there at the cross. Christ's outstretched hands are ready to receive you."

Romans 8:35-39

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Jesus knocks on the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) with his nail-scarred hand. Answer Him now!

For Jesus shed His precious blood
rich blessings to bestow;
plunge now into the crimson flood
that washes bright as snow.

Only trust Him, only trust Him,
only trust Him now.
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

Here's how: The Plan of Salvation!

A Four Year Old's Interpretation of Psalm 23

Psalm 23:1
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."

A Sunday school teacher asked her children if anyone could quote the entire 23rd Psalm. In the back of the class room, there was a golden-curled, gum chewing four year-old girl who was among those who raised their hands. A bit skeptical, the teacher asked if she could really quote the entire psalm.

The little girl walked up to the front of the room, faced the class, spat the gum into her hand, curtsied, and said, "The Lord is my Shepherd, that's all I want."

She popped the gum back in her mouth, curtsied again and went and took her seat.

Sometimes the simplest interpretations are the best interpretations. Check out Matt. 21:16. This version of the 23rd Psalm may just be one of them. Jesus is all we need!

Click here on how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ! The Plan of Salvation

Acts of Worship

Mark 12:29-31
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

There's a difference between an act of worship and worship. In Mark 12:33, Christ acknowledges that what the scribe said was true: loving God with all the heart, with all understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. You can find this principle working in the Old Testament; in I Sam. 15:22 -

"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

In Matt.23:26-28, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and scribes. Let's read -

"Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres,which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

What Christ was pointing out was this: There's a BIG difference between an act of worship and worship. Do you know what that difference is? The answer is: It's a matter of the heart, according to what Christ confirmed to the scribe in Mark 12:33.

Jesus also taught that true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23).


Another way of looking at this question is like this: The difference between an act of worship and worship is the former is just an ACT; that is, the person is acting, pretending to worship. True worship comes from the heart. See I Cor. 13.

Dear Reader, the questions remains: Are you an actor or true worshipper?


In order to worship God, you must be saved. Are you? If not, here's how: The Plan of Salvation

When Is Life Life?

Leviticus 17:11a, 14

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood"

"Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof"

The answer to the question posed in the post title is this: Life is life when there is blood in the flesh.

During the week after fertilization, the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine wall. This marks the week where the embryonic period begins According the medical experts, the fetus is connected by the umbilical cord to the placenta, the organ that develops and implants in the mother's uterus during pregnancy. Through the blood vessels in the umbilical cord, the fetus receives all the necessary nutrition, oxygen and life support from the mother. Note that it's through the blood vessels.

Children are a heritage from the Lord (Ps. 127:3) and are not meant to be thrown away or killed. Even God warned the children of Israel not to pass their children through the fire as sacrifices to Molech (Lev. 18:21; Jer. 32:35).


Consider this picture:

In the picture, ten models, approximately life-sized, represent eight weeks of embryonic development, at the end of which main organ systems, limbs and features have taken shape. The heart takes shape through stages represented by 4 to 10 of this series of models. Microvessels continue to exchange respiratory gases and nutrients between different tissues throughout embryonic and fetal development, through birth, and then life-long. The heart, ever-responsive to changing organic demands, maintains fluid communication and unity amidst the complexity of the tissues, day and night, year-in, year-out, life-long.

Are you still convinced that this little being is just tissue?

Reader, choose life! It's so precious in God's sight. Take a stand against those murderers by praying for God's merciful hand to open their eyes of understanding so that they'll repent. Also, pray for the women who are duped into believing that they're only recourse is abortion. The repercussions of abortion are life long for these women. Pray that they'll find forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Unborn children around the world need your prayers! So, pray without ceasing!

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani Still Alive - UPDATE!

II Timothy 4:5

"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."

By Jordan Sekulow

American Center for Law & Justice [ACLJ]

As of Saturday afternoon, March 3, 2012, the ACLJ’s sources in Iran have confirmed that Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is still alive.

Reports that his execution occurred earlier today are false, and images being circulated purporting to be from his execution are outdated and demonstratively false.

The ACLJ still believes that the execution order has been issued, but we can confirm that as of today Pastor Youcef is still alive. International pressure continues to build on Iran.

Please continue to pray and Tweet for Youcef, as we fight for his life.

A Simple, Yet Profound Depiction of Salvation

I Thess. 5:9
"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Here's a cartoon of the concept of salvation. Enjoy and the may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you!



(Mat 7:13) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide gate, and broad the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

(Psa. 38:4) For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

(1 Cor. 1:18 ) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

(Prov. 14:12) There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

(Jas. 4:4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

(Prov. 16:25) There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

(1 Sam. 15:22b) Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

(Gen. 4:4) And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: (Gen 4:5) But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

(Matt. 16:24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

(Gal. 6:7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

(Rom. 8:34) Who is he that condemneth? Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

(1 Tim. 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (1 Tim. 2:6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

(John 14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

(John 3:5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (Joh 3:6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (Joh 3:7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.



To learn more about how to be saved, click here: The Plan of Salvation