Making Life Work

From Ronald L. Dart’s Born to Win Notes

What has made you and me friends is the Bible, Jesus Christ and his Father, and the Holy Spirit. It is here that we have found common ground. It is here that we find a spirit of brotherhood and friendship. I think the Apostle John must have felt the same way when he wrote his first epistle.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship...

By: Lenny Cacchio  

    Imagine, if you will, losing everything dear to you and reflecting on the things you lost.  That’s what we read about in the Book of Job, the story of a man whose life became a disaster.  At such times of trial it is normal to long for things as they once were, and that is precisely what Job did.      In the 20th Chapter of that book, Job describes the honors of the life he once knew.  His life once dripped with wealth and comfort (v. 6).  He sat in the gate of the city where he received respect (vv. 7-9) and where the honorable men hung on his words (vv. 9-11).  He did great works of service for those in need (vv. 12-13).  He was a judge among them, and the people came to him to plead the cause of justice (vv. 14-17). ...

By: Lenny Cacchio  

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place--Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. (Job 2:11-13 NKJV) Job’s friends get a bum rap. Granted they were obtuse when they opened their mouths, and the epithet “Job’s Comforters”...

By: Bill Jacobs

    A good friend and I were talking about the need to make our congregations good, safe places for our children. He observed that it is the tendency for many to think about help in a programmatic way: have a need; fill it by creating a program.

    Several interesting thoughts came from that observation. First, we noticed that Jesus did not start a single program. He started a movement, but no programs. Second, we noted that Jesus interacted with people directly to help them. If people were sick he healed them. If they were confused he told them a story or asked them illuminating questions. If children appeared before him, He picked them up and blessed them. In His thirty-three years of human life, he helped people primarily...

By: Allie Dart

    Friendship-making skills are the number one thing churchgoing teenagers are interested in learning.Acquiring these skills ranks higher with these young people than learning more about who God is, and coming to know and love Jesus Christ. It may surprise you to know that it rated even higher than marrying and having a happy family or having a lot of money, according to researcher George Barna. What this shows is how much teenagers long to love and be loved.

    Everyone needs friends. But it’s important to understand that not everyone can be a friend. Some kids are so selfish that no matter how nice you are to them, they may not be the kind of people that you will want to hang-out with. You may have to love this type of person...