Professing Christians who don’t walk the talk push more people towards atheism than any other single reason. Think of it! There’s nothing that causes more resentment, bitterness and skepticism towards the lovely Person of Christ than someone who says they are a believer but fails to show it every day of the week. Hypocrisy and shallowness drive people away from the Gospel. If your business practices are not 100% above board, don’t ever tell someone you are a Christian. If my jokes are off-colored and my language is peppered with foul slang, may my lips be silent about what Christ has done for me. If I am known as a stingy and miserly person, pinching every penny and beating the last dollar out of every deal, I shouldn’t even whisper to another person that I walk with the Lord – after all, who is more generous, gracious and giving than our God? If I’m at the same counter buying or renting the same videos as the rest of the world, should I even suggest to a friend that Christ satisfies completely and I live for a higher purpose?

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The Christians up in Corinth had initially expressed an enthusiastic willingness to help the believers in Jerusalem who were having a real rough time. When the Apostle Paul first mentioned it to them, they were eager and thrilled to help out. But then problems arose in the assembly in Corinth. False teachers started planting problems and rumors began to spread about Paul himself. Some hinted that Paul was up to no good and that he himself was money hungry. Who could trust his motives? Maybe he was milking the christians. Whatever was being said in Corinth certainly threw a damper on their willingness to help out the poverty stricken believers in Jerusalem. They had been side tracked by internal assembly problems and their generous gift never materialized.

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How long have you been waiting for the Lord to show you His will? Ten minutes? Ten hours? Ten days? Ten weeks? Ten months? What’s with the lapse of time? Why doesn’t the Lord jump when I snap my fingers? Why doesn’t He answer as soon as I make the request?

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When you’re close enough to see the dog’s tongue – you’re close enough to be transformed into meat! If you are approaching someone’s door and suddenly the guard dog responds to your arrival, it is not always a pleasant experience. I recall seeing a dog flash his tongue at me. It was one of those nano seconds that lasted far too long and lingers in my memory to this day. The whetted tongue, the lunge, the piercing canine teeth, my bleeding arm and then the aftershock – shivering and shaking. Fortunately, the lady dog-owner pulled the phone away from her ear long enough to calmly and gently scold her sweet old collie: “Boy, stop! Don’t do that. Lay down!” I’m glad she so kindly interrupted the perpetrator or it could have possibly been Round 2 and more of my flesh! That was one time when my experience contradicted conventional wisdom that ‘his bark is worse than his bite.’ True, a barking dog is scary and frightening; but from personal experience a biting dog pushes the envelope further.

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“Since when did taking a few blank CD’s home from work become stealing? I don’t feel a speck of guilt over using them to make a few CD’s for my truck. Listening to music going to work gets me pumped for work. Besides, if my employer wasn’t so cheap, she’d give me a raise; then I might feel differently about things. Right now, my loyalty to the company is zero-zilch! So I do my photocopying for my Sunday School class at work, take a few blank CD’s from time to time and really, to be honest, I don’t feel guilty about taking paper and pens home with me either. Dem are da perks of working for a cheap employer.”

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(Warning: 100 words longer than the typical ones)

How did some couples ever get together? They seem to have nothing in common. One has all the looks in the world while their partner is as ugly as they come. One is pleasant, wise and caring but the other is abrasive, bold, rude and boastful. One is godly with spiritual desires but their life-long partner is a spiritual dud. One is bright; the other is dull. She is industrious and diligent but her husband is a classic slacker - a lazy procrastinator and a couch potato. One has serious desires to do something for God with his life but she is as flitty and shallow as they come. The examples are endless.

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You should know the answers to these questions before you go ahead with marriage. You should know YOUR own response to each of these important considerations on the list and you should know YOUR PARTNER'S response to each item on the list.

Take the time on your own to complete in writing each sentence on the list. Do it alone - just you and the Lord. At the same time, have your partner go through the same process alone.

Take the exercise seriously.

And then exchange your written responses to consider them alone in private. Pray and let the Lord speak to your heart as you pray and read the Word of God.

Get together and share your responses. If you haven't been reading your Bibles together and praying together, this would be a good time to start.

If you would like to suggest amendments or additions to the "Here's Where I'm Coming From" list, please email your suggestions to peter@heaven4sure.com

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This is not a complete list of indicators of trouble ahead if you continue your relationship with the person you are praying about marrying. Nor is the list intended to frighten you 'out of' a relationship if you experience occasionally some of the feelings or concerns listed. It is just a list for 'sober second thought' for you to consider. Don't push ahead out of sheer excitement if you have a persistent worry inside.

Check out the list and if you would like to suggest additional warning signals that could be added to such a list email me at: peter@heaven4sure.com

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It was late morning as I walked down the sidewalk. Earlier, a worm had slivered out from among the dew covered blades of grass on to the sidewalk. It wasn’t easy going for him. I doubt if he would have made it to the other side. The hot sun and the dry concrete made it tough sledding for the dew worm. His skin was quickly drying and he was shriveling up. He was so helpless. Maybe you think I should be calling the worm an ‘it.’ That morning I couldn’t help but stoop down and pick up the little worm and gently place him (it) in the shaded grass. Usually I pay very little attention to a worm. But as I walked away, I thought of another scene and tried to blink back the tears.

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HENRY: “I can’t believe it. What do you have to smile about? Weren’t you harassed and threatened, beaten and whipped and kicked out of your city? Weren’t you forced to leave everything behind – your home, your relatives and your jobs?”

MELINDA: “Yes, on one hand it was not easy, but really, everything can be stripped away from us but we still have Christ. It is an honor to suffer rejection for His Name.”

HENRY: “Pardon? I don’t understand. You must be emotionally disturbed. Your thinking is bizarre! Where is this Christ you speak about? I don’t see Him standing at your side!”

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