Church pews discuss workload

Enjoy this guest post by Greg Miller and contact the author to let him know you saw him on Frugal Fancy's Blog!

A medium-sized church in a large metropolitan city was known far and wide for its Bible-based preaching.

The church's members loved God with all their hearts, and they encouraged the pastor to continue boldly proclaiming God's Word.

All of the church's members enthusiastically threw themselves into God's work. "I'm so proud of the way everyone works together to fulfill their roles in this church!" exclaimed the pastor.

Even the church's furniture and other inanimate objects worked tirelessly to advance God's kingdom. "Church Pews, Pulpit, Piano and Organ all go far above the call of duty to minister to the Lord, too," said the pastor.

Pulpit enjoyed a prominent position at the front of the church. "I thank the Lord every single day that He allows me to hold the Bibles while the pastor preaches the sermons," Pulpit said. "It's a tremendous honor."

Piano and organ were proud of their musical contributions to the church. "We are certainly noteworthy," piano bragged.

"We do have the keys to the music of the worship services," echoed organ.

Church Pews did not agree about the amount of work they shared. Prior to one Sunday evening service, Front Row Church Pew and Back Row Church Pew discussed their workload.

"It's great being at the front of the church," said Front Row Church Pew. "Normally, only a few people sit on me during the services. On holidays and other special occasions, my workload is a bit heavier, though."

"My workload is heavier than yours for almost every service," complained Back Row Church Pew. "For some reason, I'm a lot more popular than you are. For most services, I'm jam-packed and I don't have a square inch of extra space to spare. In fact, for many services, my twin brother, Back Row Church Pew Number Two, is also filled to capacity."

"I wonder why you're more popular than me!" exclaimed Front Row Church Pew.

"One reason," shared Back Row Church Pew, "is that according to some people, the preacher talks too loudly."

"Those people are wrong," sighed Front Row Church Pew. "Some of the people who sit on me say they can barely hear him because he speaks so softly!

"A couple of them complain about one of the brothers in the ‘Amen Corner' using a little extra volume, but other than that my job is pretty cool."

"You're right about that," agreed Back Row Church Pew. "One of the brothers who used to sit in the Amen Corner moved to the back row because during one service he shouted ‘Amen' so loudly that he upset himself!"

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Contact the writer of this column, Greg Miller, about speaking engagements and/or puppet ministry by email to kidcool4jesus@yahoo.com.

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Of Cabbages and Kings

‘The time has come’, the walrus said, ‘To talk of many things: of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.’
—Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

In preparing for revival at South Haven Church of the Nazarene next month, I was reading John Wesley's sermon, "The Most Important Question."

Wesley speaks of the philosophy that if a person of low station, a commoner, poor, uneducated, would try to talk about kings and kingdoms and things far above him, he would struggle to find the words because they would be unfamiliar to him.

He wouldn't know the language to use to describe what he experienced in association with the higher station of life, nor would he have the understanding of the things he might see or experience in relation to them to talk easily of them. Anything he might say, he would struggle to find the words to describe.

If the king, himself, or a prince, however, were to talk about such things, he would be able to speak freely about them because of his familiarity with those same topics and associations.

So it is with us who are so far below the Kingdom of God. We're unable to express ourselves well because what we see, and learn, and taste and experience is so far above us we don't even know the words to use to describe it.

Yet, Jesus, who is of that Heavenly Kingdom, can speak freely and clearly about such things. It's home to Him. He speaks of what He knows.

Doesn't it make sense then, that when an "expert" on the subject, someone who has been a part of that Heavenly Kingdom all His life (forever!), tells us what that Kingdom is like and how we can be a part of it, that we listen to Him?

And doesn't it make sense that we should also believe Him because He knows what He's talking about? He has been there. It's familiar to Him. It's His hometown.

I pray the Lord will help us to realize that He speaks the truth because He is the Truth. He knows what the truth about Heaven is because it's His home. Let's do our best to listen.

This Will We Do

Scripture: Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.

Text: Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;

Greetings in the name of Jesus:

How far have we come in our exploration of the experience of Holiness?

What has God shown us in the Scripture about the place that Holy living has in His grand design for our lives?

We see,

(1) That holy character was God’s purpose in creating us;

(2) That man lost something essential in the Fall and is now born with a spirit of antagonism to God;

(3) But, God has provided a way for man to be freed from such indwelling SIN;

(4) That the method is through a second, instantaneous work of grace;

(5) And, that this work of grace is God’s will for all who are His redeemed children.

We come now to ask the question, How shall we enter in?

As the Holy Spirit leads us into the experience, what steps must we take and by what signs shall we know that we are making progress toward our goal of HEART HOLINESS?

This is the real purpose of all our preceding Bible study of the truth.

Our better understanding of divine things is not an end in itself.

We study in order to show our selves approved unto God.

The words themselves are only road signs in the highway of eternal life.

We seek to understand the truth of Holiness more clearly in order that we may enter in more quickly, or that we may aid others to do so.

How can we be SANCTIFIED WHOLLY?

How can we guide our Christian friends to this high experience?

We start by wanting it.

We are already moving in the right direction when we sincerely pray:

Purify our faith like gold;
All the dross of sin remove;
Melt our spirits down, and mould
Into thy perfect love.

—Wesley’s Hymns

He lives in my heart today.

Pastor Neal Stover
South Haven Church of the Nazarene

Mouse wants to become church mouse

Enjoy this guest post from author Greg Miller and contact him to let him know you saw him on the Christian Daily Blog!

Charlie, the Church Mouse Extraordinare at First Cheese Church, was very happy with his job, which paid him in cheese.

He earned enough cheese each week to feed his entire family, and he had enough cheese left over to give to the homeless mouse shelter.

Charlie’s job was very easy. He kept all the floors, pews, couches and chairs very clean, and he made sure all the visiting rodents enjoyed their time at the church.

Charlie felt his job was so easy, in fact, that he boasted to all his little mouse buddies, “Being a church mouse is fun, easy and fulfilling. I would advise any mouse to consider being a church mouse as a career option. It’s a great way to honor the God who created us.”

Cinnamon, Charlie’s best mouse friend, liked what he heard. “I’m kind of tired of cutting cheese at the Local Mouse Deli,” he told Charlie. “Do you think I could work as a church mouse intern at the church for a couple of weeks? I could gain some experience, and I could learn whether I was cut out for that type of work.”

“No problem,” said Charlie. “Your pay will be one-half pound of cheese per week. Plus, if you do a good job, I’ll give you a letter of recommendation that you can give to prospective employers.”

Like Charlie, Cinnamon thought the church mouse gig was a blast. “This is great,” Cinnamon said. “When can I get my letter of recommendation?”

“I’ll have it for you tomorrow,” Charlie replied.

In the letter, Charlie spoke very highly of Cinnamon’s job performance. “Cinnamon has a very strong work ethic, and he really enjoys his job,” Charlie wrote. “He would be a fine church mouse for any church.”

Christopher, the mouse resources officer at Second Cheese Church, was very impressed with the letter of recommendation, but he wanted to know why Cinnamon quit his job as a cheese cutter after being on the job for only three months. “That’s not a very long time to work at any job,” Christopher observed.

“It just wasn’t challenging enough, Sir,” said Cinnamon. “I became bored, so I decided to look for a job that provided a bit more adventure.”

Christopher remembered that in his younger days he also had dreamed of a job with more adventure. “Now,” he said, “I’m thankful for every slice of cheese I earn, and I just want the Lord to be pleased with my work ethic.”

“Come on, Cinnamon,” said Christopher, “What’s the real reason you wanted to change jobs?”

“There is one other reason,” Cinnamon admitted. “You see, all I did was slice cheese all day, and I got tired of being nothing but a cutup.”
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Dating: Misery Loves Company

Enjoy this guest post from author E. Umana and contact him to let him know you saw him on the Christian Daily Blog!

We're in the midst of a raging recession with global reach. The economists are speculating on the possibility of a "double dip" recession. People have lost jobs, homes, cars other property and the like, marriages are strained under the weight of mounting debts and other economic problems.

But there is one "industry' that is defying the economic gloom and doom and according to a report I heard about on Fox News, that would be the online matchmaking services. Some of the dating sites are reporting double digit increases in the number of new members. They describe the pace at which people are trying to find a new partner as "frenzied."

It seems that, despite the sometimes high monthly cost, people want to reach out to one another and be together. In other words, they don't want to go through this economic downturn by themselves.

Unfortunately, many of these people are lonely and not seeking a partner from a godly standpoint, as in seeking their lifelong soul-mate, partner, fellow worshiper, lover and co-parent. In fact, I believe many of these people are looking for someone to "hook up with." Some of them will marry after many years of getting to "know" each other, in the biblical sense, prior to marriage.

People are social creatures, they need to interact with other people. Despite the economy, people interviewed state the need to connect and not face all this uncertainty by themselves; but they also mention the advantage of having an almost unlimited number of potential partners to interact with so they can weed out the incompatible (the goldigger, psycho, etc.).

Through an online dating site, they have more information on a potential mate than they otherwise would meeting someone at work or from a chance encounter at the laundromat.

One can sympathize as these are lonely people who want companionship, and to share expenses in these difficult times. But it is better to be alone than to be with the wrong person. No matter how bad the economy is, a relationship started out of loneliness, desperation, or a desire to share expenses will not last in the long run.

Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife (or husband). (Proverbs 21:9, NIV)

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E. Umana is an article author and blog owner whose articles on marriage and Internet marketing appear all over the Internet. Visit his Christian blog, Christian Marriage Works and download his ebook 12 Marriage Killers to discover how to spot the behaviors that couples engage in that can create conflict and destroy a marriage.

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Woman keeps her faith after stroke

Enjoy this guest post from author Greg Miller and contact him to let him know you saw him on the Christian Daily Blog!

Geneva suffered a stroke three weeks before Labor Day, and she was determined to alter her lifestyle.

“I don’t want to have another stroke,” she told her husband, Garth.

Geneva began eating more fruits and vegetables, and she started walking about two miles every day.

Geneva suffered no major long-term effects from the stroke, and she was very grateful to the Lord for this blessing. “I’m still able to drive my car and teach my Sunday school class,” she said.

Geneva also continued shooting hoops with her son, Gabe, a couple of times each week. “You know, Mom, I think you shoot the basketball even better now than you did before,” Gabe said. “And you always were a good shooter.”

“Just be sure you remember this lesson, Son,” said Geneva. “Don’t ever let adverse situations keep you from doing your best for God or from living your life to its fullest.”

“You’re so smart, Mom,” said Gabe.

“Thank you, Son,” said Geneva. “That‘s very kind.”

“Mom, may I please ask you a question?,” asked Gabe.

“Sure, Son,” replied Geneva.

“The company where you work was closed for Labor Day,” said Gabe. “Why did they close?”

“Many companies close on Labor Day,” said Geneva, “to give their employees a well-deserved day of rest. It’s like an extra day of vacation. Some of us work so hard that we really need an extra day off work every once in a while.”

“I know what you mean, Mom,” said Gabe. “As a student, I appreciate it when fall break and spring break arrive every year.”

“I guess it’s kind of the same thing,” agreed Geneva.

Geneva told her son that another great thing about this year’s Labor Day holiday occurred after the holiday break. “When we went back to work on Tuesday, the company treated us to lunch at a great restaurant,” she said. “Then the company wrote a check for the same amount as the cost of the lunch and donated the money to the local orphanage.”

“It’s great to see that the Lord doesn’t take a holiday on Labor Day,” said Gabe.

“God never takes a day off,” said Garth. “He’s always on he job, and He’s always right on time when He answers prayer.”

“Dad, you’re as smart as mom,” said Gabe. “How did I manage to get parents who are so intelligent?”

“All I know is that is one blessing the Lord must have known you could handle,” said Geneva.

“It’s a great blessing,” said Gabe. “And since you had your stroke, I’ve come to a conclusion about something. I hope I never have a stroke. But if I do, I sure hope I maintain my trust in God as well as you have. He is in control of everything, and He deserves all of our praise.”

“Amen to that!,” said Garth.

“Amen!,” echoed Geneva. “Amen!”

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Couple prays for a son

Enjoy this guest post from Greg Miller and contact him to let him know you saw him on the Christian Daily Blog!

Abbie and Arthur had been married for five years and they were praying for a son.

Abbie was trusting that the Lord would give her the desire of her heart. Thus far, however, she had not been able to conceive.

“Oh, God!,” she exclaimed. “Please hear my grieving spirit! Give me a son, and I will raise him to praise and glorify your name!”

Arthur also prayed to the Father, asking Him to allow his wife to bear a son. “Sovereign Lord!,” he cried, “I promise if you give us a son, I will be the best father I can be!”

About three months later, Abbie and Arthur visited a physician, who had great news for them. “In a few months, you two will become parents,” said the doctor.

The physician, Dr. Babee Deliverer, also had a surprise for the happy couple. “It seems that the Lord is blessing you with four sons!,” he said.

“Four sons!” exclaimed Abbie. “Now that is a surprise, I was pretty sure I was expecting, but I wasn’t anticipating so much of a blessing. Thanks for the good news, Doctor.”

“Yes, Doctor, thanks for bearing the glad tidings,” said Arthur. “We may even name one of the boys after you.”

“It would be a huge honor for me if you gave them Biblical names like Adam, Moses, Matthew and Paul,” said the doctor.

After Abbie and Arthur left Dr. Babee Deliverer’s office, they returned home, enjoyed a quiet dinner, then went for a walk in a nearby park. The couple walked over several scenic trails.

“This park is certainly quiet,” observed Arthur. “The only sounds I hear are the rustling of the wind through the trees and the cheerful singing of the birds.”

The tranquility was interrupted by a loud, “Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad! I’m Matthew, your son. Thanks for bringing my brothers and me to this fantastic park. It’s so peaceful. Adam, Moses and Paul can’t talk to you yet, but I thought I’d pop up for a little chat.”

“This conversation certainly is a pleasant surprise,” said Arthur. “Your mom and I both prayed for a son, but it was a real shock when we learned four of you guys were on the way.”

“Very true,” said Abbie. “But I’m just thinking…if all four of you are hungry at the same time, I won’t know which of you to feed first.”

“I’ll help you make that decision, Mom,” said Matthew. “I am now putting in an official request to get my bottle first.”

“OK, Punkin,’” said Abbie. “But I still have one unanswered question. We prayed for one boy, but the Sovereign Lord is blessing us with four.”

“That’s easy, Mom,” said Matthew. “When you pray to God with a special request, sometimes you get much more than you bargain for!”

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To contact Greg Miller for speaking engagements or puppet ministry, please email kidcool4jesus@yahoo.com.

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Pastor-Teacher conducts seminar on the Last Days

Enjoy this guest post from Greg Miller and contact him to let him know you saw him on the Christian Daily Blog!

Pastor-Teacher decided to conduct a prophecy seminar in his hometown on the Last Days.

“If it catches on, I may promote it nationwide,” he said. “The Last Days is a very important topic.”

Pastor-Teacher asked PR Volunteer to give away free tickets to the seminar. Due to the great interest in the seminars, Pastor-Teacher rented Local Community Building in which to conduct the event. The building, which had a seating capacity of 2,000 people, was used for a variety of purposes, including funerals, weddings, birthday parties and Christian worship services.

On the day of the event, Pastor-Teacher realized that all 2,000 seminar tickets had been distributed, and requests for 4,000 additional tickets had been received. He contacted local TV Station and Local Radio Station, both of which agreed to air the seminar.

Local Newspaper Reporter also attended the seminar to record Pastor-Teacher’s comments and write a front-page story for the following day’s paper.

All members of the media positioned themselves in such a way that they would be able to report accurately everything that happened during the seminar.

Pastor-Teacher began the seminar by quoting Revelation 1:3-8:

is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

"John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

"And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

“Does anyone have anything to say before we continue with tonight’s lesson?,” asked Pastor-Teacher.

“I do,” spoke up Seminar Attendee. “I had a Revelation Moment at my home earlier this week. We only have one clock in the house, and for some reason it stopped running at 2 a.m. I’ve been studying about the cessation of time and the beginning of eternity. When I awoke at 7 a.m. and saw that the clock had stopped several hours before, I thought eternity had already begun!”

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To contact Greg Miller for speaking engagements or puppet ministry, please email kidcool4jesus@yahoo.com.

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Caboose knows his job

Enjoy this guest post from Greg Miller and contact him to let him know you saw him on the Christian Daily Blog!

Christian Locomotive was the leader of a train which included himself, Christian Boxcar and Christian Caboose.

Locomotive, who had a very outgoing personality, was glad Boxcar and Caboose had elected him to be the train’s illustrious leader, and he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity because he truly wanted to serve the community and the country.

“The view is great from this vantage point,” smiled Locomotive. “But the most important thing about being chosen for this position is that I bring glory to God and serve others.

“You always wanted to be a leader, Locomotive, so when I asked for my two weeks vacation, I asked if I could switch places with you in exchange for a free tour of the country,” said Boxcar. “And I must say I have forgotten how beautiful the view was from this part of the train.

“The trees have a more normal look to them, the view of the rivers is much better, and I don’t make nearly as much noise as I did when I was Locomotive. And I can take advantage of this opportunity to renew my friendship with Caboose. We were best friends when we started working for the railroad about 20 years ago, but when I was the Number One Boxcar behind Locomotive I didn’t get to talk with him very much, because there was too much distance between us.”

“It sure is great catching up on old times,” said Caboose. “I had forgotten about how much fun it was collaborating with you on writing songs about the railroad. I wrote the words, and you composed the music…We even competed with other trains around the nation and won first place in a songwriting contest…Yes, those were the good old days.”

Locomotive was curious about the aspect of being Locomotive that Boxcar missed the most. “I miss being a leader,” replied Boxcar. “You know, people looking up to me and respecting me, kids beaming with pride when I first came into view, feeling the surge of power when I was given more fuel.”

“I think you have the meaning of leadership all wrong,” said Locomotive. “Leadership isn’t about the feelings you get when people look at you, the self-esteem that you may experience, or the surge of power you get from the extra fuel.

“It’s about serving the people who are riding the train, making sure that they reach their destination comfortably and safely, and taking care of their needs while they are in our care. You agree, don’t you, Caboose?”

Caboose had fallen asleep for a few seconds, and he awoke just in time to hear Locomotive’s question. “You’re right, of course,” said Caboose. “But for me, it’s like vacation all the time, because some people say I’m just along for the ride!”

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To contact Greg Miller for speaking engagements or puppet ministry, please email kidcool4jesus@yahoo.com.

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A different kind of Father’s Dayby Greg Miller

Enjoy this guest post from Greg Miller and contact him to let him know you saw him on the Christian Daily Blog!

Maureen and Mitch celebrated Father's Day several weeks early.

“I'm sorry I must work on Father's Day, because I know you and the kids would like to spend the afternoon with me,” said Mitch. “But since my job as a fireman requires me to work this Father's Day, we'll celebrate the holiday a couple of weeks early.”

“That's a wonderful idea, Dear,” said Maureen. “Would you like to eat lunch at your favorite restaurant?”

“Sure,” said Mitch. “But after we get back home, I'd like to change the routine a little. Instead of watching a baseball game like I usually do, I'd like for us to spend some quality time with the Lord.”

“What kind of quality time, Dad?,” asked Monty, the couple's son.

“Yeah, Dad, what kind of quality time?,” asked Monique, Monty's sister, whose favorite pastime was teasing her older brother.

“The first thing I'd like for us to do is spend some time praying to the Sovereign Lord,” said Mitchell. “We'll thank Him for His provision and ask Him for His guidance.”

“I think we should share our testimonies about how the Lord has worked in our lives,” said Monique.

“I can preach a short sermon,” said Monty, who at the tender age of 14, said he felt the Lord was calling him to attend Bible college and become a minister.

“I'll receive an offering,” said Mitch. “We can send the money to help missionaries build a church in another country.”

“This will be a different kind of Father's Day celebration,” said Maureen. “We should have done it years ago. I believe it will draw our family closer together and strengthen our relationship with our heavenly father.”

Mitch asked Monty if he thought the afternoon together would strengthen his relationship with his sister. “I don't think it will hurt,” Monty replied. “But we already have a great relationship. She just teases me too much.”

Mitch asked his son and daughter to rate his job as a dad. “You're a great father,” said Monique. You are a wonderful husband to mom, too.”

“I agree with Monique,” said Monty. “Plus, you're always taking us to church and teaching us about Jesus and how He shed His blood on the Cross and died for our sins.”

“I'm glad you came up with the idea for this special Father's Day celebration,” said Monique. “I think it will help all of us to appreciate each other more.”

“I hope it will help all of us appreciate our heavenly father more, too,” said Mitch. “After all, when it comes to being a father, the Sovereign Lord has more experience than all the dads in the world put together!”

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To contact the writer of this column about preaching and other speaking engagements, as well as puppet ministry, please e-mail kidcool4jesus@yahoo.com.