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<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">A Brave Life among Roses</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Francis Meilland dedicated his life to raising
roses. He knew each plant intimately. As he strode through the nursery he came
across one very special rose. "Ah, this one," he said, "this one," as he rubbed
the particularly glossy leaf with a finely serrated edge. It was a masterpiece,
unlike anything he had ever seen. Of all his plants, this one was
sensational.<BR><BR>Meilland was anxious to give his precious rose a name and
continue to work in his nursery but the year was 1939 and the threat of war
hovered over Western Europe. His only hope was to preserve the precious flower
from eminent danger. Soon there after, Nazi Germany had occupied northern France
and were moving toward Paris. Waging blitzkrieg, the Nazis attacked one town
after another spreading defeat and disaster everywhere.<BR><BR>With little time
to spare Meilland took cuttings from his beloved plant and methodically packaged
and shipped them throughout the world. He had no idea if they would survive. He
could only hope. On one of the last planes that left France just before the
Nazis gained control of the airport, one of his precious cuttings, cushioned in
a diplomatic pouch, was destined for the United States.<BR><BR>Four long years
passed. Meilland received a letter that one of his cuttings had reached a rose
grower in Pennsylvania. It was ruffled and delicate. The petals were of cameo
ivory and palest cream, tipped with a tinge of pink. His rose had survived.
Later, on the very day Berlin fell to the allies, there was a special ceremony
that took place in California. To honor the occasion, white doves were set free.
After many years the fragile rose had survived the war and now received a name.
It was called "Peace."</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><BR>The harvest is plentiful but the laborers
are few. We are sent out as lambs in the midst of wolves. We need few resources
to be faithful followers. All we need is guts.<BR><BR>Keith Wagner, It Takes
Guts, adapted from Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul, Of War and Roses</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">_____________________</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Amazing Accomplishments</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">At the conclusion of a very successful capital
funds campaign in a church, a wise leader from the congregation said to the
pastor, "Isn't it amazing how much can get done when we don't care who gets the
credit?"</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">David R. Cartwright, Sermons for Sundays after
Pentecost (First Third): Guided by the Spirit, CSS Publishing Company,
Inc.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">_______________________________________</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">One of the Secrets to Success</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Andrew Tobias, the financial author put it this
way. Go down any day to the waterfront, and you will find a crowd of unhappy
people. Someone will be having trouble getting the motor on their yacht to
crank. Someone else will be scraping barnacles. Another will be repainting.
Things just don't make you happy. Property brings problems. It is like an
alligator that takes a bite out of your pocket every time you turn around. Don't
be burdened by too many material things. As you go through life, one of the
secrets of success is to travel light.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Unknown</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">______________________<BR><BR>Forerunners</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">A forerunner prepares the way for one who is to
come. John the Baptist clarified his own role and witness when he declared that
he was preparing the way for the coming of one mightier than he. He was not the
one of whom the Scriptures spoke, but he was important to the one who was soon
to come.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">When the Billy Graham Crusade comes into a
city, besides being spiritually rewarding, it is an impressive undertaking
because of the manner in which organizational details are carried out. Pastor
Larry Powell describes one of Graham's crusades that came through Little Rock
Arkansas. He said, night after night, things moved along without the slightest
hitch, so far as one could tell. Vehicles moved smoothly upon city streets,
parking was uncomplicated and orderly. Getting in and out of the stadium was
remarkably simple. Seating was casual and made easy by polite, easily
identifiable ushers. The worship services themselves included a massive
volunteer choir, excellent special music, well and effective personal witnesses,
challenging sermons by Dr. Graham, and the invitation to respond to the
leadership of the Spirit. Counselors were available for those who chose to
respond, there was follow-up on new converts, and local pastors were notified
for weeks following the crusade about individuals who had indicated a religious
preference. The Billy Graham Crusade accomplished a great work for the kingdom
of God. But underline this one thing: without long months of preparation by the
crusade team who had come as forerunners, the record would read quite
differently. Having met with the team, I can confirm that they were excellent
representatives for what they were promoting, proficient at what they were
about, and assumed a tremendous personal responsibility for the success or
failure of the mission.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Because we have named the name of Christ, you
and I are forerunners of the coming kingdom. We pray for the grace to be good
representatives of what we proclaim, proficient in our witness, and assume a
personal ownership in the ultimate victory.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Adapted from Larry Powell, Blow The Silver
Trumpets, CSS Publishing Company</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">___________________</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Real Evangelism</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If we are going to be effective in reaching
people for Christ we are going to have to start showing people that we really
care. Evangelism and missions must be relational in nature. There is no record
of Jesus walking up to someone out of the clear blue sky and saying: I am the
Messiah and then him beginning to show his care for them. No, he showed his care
for them first and then he revealed himself to them.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">A story is told about a man who was on a luxury
liner and suddenly he falls overboard. He can't swim and in desperation he
begins calling for help. Now it just so happens that there were several would be
rescuers on deck who witnessed the incident. The first man was a MORALIST. When
he saw the man fall overboard he immediately reached into his briefcase and
pulled out a book on how to swim. He now tossed it to him and he yelled: Now
brother, you read that and just follow the instructions and you will be
alright.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The man next to him happened to be a IDEALIST.
When he saw the man fall overboard he immediately jumped into the water and
began swimming all around the drowning man saying: Now just watch me swim. Do as
I do and you will be alright. The person next to him happened to be a member of
the INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH. He looked upon the drowning man's plight with deep
concern. He yelled out: Now, just hold on friend. Help is on the way. We are
going to establish a committee and dialogue your problem. And then, if we have
come up with the proper financing, we will resolve your dilemma.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The next man on deck happened to be a
representative of the school of POSITIVE THINKING. He yelled out to the drowning
man: "Friend, this situation is not nearly as bad as you think. Think dry!" The
next man on board happened to be a REVIVALIST. By this time the drowning man was
going down for the third time and desperately began waving his arm. Seeing that,
the revivalist yelled out: Yes brother, I see that hand, is there another? Is
there another? And finally, the last man on deck, was a REALIST. He immediately
plunged into the water, at the risk of his own life, and pulled the victim to
safety.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">My friends, the harvest is plentiful, but the
WORKERS are few. We need realist in the church willing plunge into the water and
go to work.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Staff, www.eSermons.com.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">_________________</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Relationship Evangelism</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">There is an old story told about a man by the
name of Ali Facid. He had a small farm and a family. One day, the story goes, a
Buddhist priest came by and said to Ali Facid: You know, there are valuable
stones called diamonds, and if you get one of these you could be a wealthy man."
Ali Facid went to bed that night, but the words of the old priest haunted him.
He was so obsessed that he felt that he must find him one of these diamonds so
that he could become a ruler. He sold his farm, put his family out to neighbors
and went out to find his acres of diamonds. Months passed. He was broken in body
and spirit. His funds were gone. And at the Bay of Barcelona, he threw himself
into the water, never to walk this earth again.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Meanwhile, the man who bought his farm bent
over one day and picked up a little stone. He laid on the mantle that night not
knowing what it was. A few days later the old Buddhist priest cam by and saw it
and exclaimed: Ali Facid must be back from his search. No, came the response.
Then where did that diamond come from? The farmer replied: I was out plowing in
the garden and found it there. And friends, did you know that from that very
garden, for this is not a legend but a true story, came the jewels and diamonds
that today adorn the crown heads of Europe and Russia. In Ali Facid's own back
yard there were acres of diamonds and he knew it not.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">My friends, I know that the [your church's
neighborhood] is not like in terms of extensive growth. But, I also know that
there are acres of diamonds right here in our own back yard. There are people
right here in our area that do not have church families, who are not committed
to Christ, and who are waiting to be asked. We don't have to look to other areas
of the city. All we have to do is pick up the diamonds that are right beneath
us.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Staff, www.eSermons.com</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">________________</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Evangelism</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">An executive hirer, a "head-hunter" who goes
out and hires corporation executives for other firms, once told me, "When I get
an executive that I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I
offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet
and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed.
Then, when I think I've got him relaxed, I lean over, look him square in the eye
and say, "What's your purpose in life?" It's amazing how top executives fall
apart at that question.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other
day, had him all disarmed, with my feet up on his desk, talking about football.
Then I leaned up and said, 'What's your purpose in life, Bob?' And he said,
without blinking an eye, 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I
can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless."</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Josh McDowell</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">________________</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Working Your Way Up</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><BR>There is nothing like success to make you
unsure of yourself. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to making a go of a project is
the process of doing something so well that you never do anything else for fear
of failure. If a writer makes it to the best-seller list the first time out,
every novel to follow will be judged by the first. If a baseball player gets a
home run the first time at bat, every time he or she comes up to the plate, the
stands will be judging the performance in light of that first hit. If a movie
director's first film is a box office smash, it's going to be hard to produce a
second film that will do as well.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">It sounds crazy, but it is true. It is safer
and more assuring to work your way up than being a star from the moment you
start. The young man was called into the boss' office to talk about his future
with the company. "You've only been with us for six months, and already you've
moved from the mail room, to office clerk, to the accounting department, to the
head of sales and purchasing. That's an incredible rise in such a short time.
I've asked you in to find out what your long-range objectives are so I can make
adjustments with our management structure."</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The young man began, "Well, within six more
months I hope to be a vice president of this company, and with a little help,
I'd like to purchase this entire operation and take over your office."</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"Well, at least you're direct," said the
startled president. "Do you really think you can replace me that easily? I've
been at this a long time, you know, and experience counts for something. And
what would you do with the company after you take over my office?"</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"As I see it," the young man brashly went
on…</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The conclusion to this illustration and for
many additional illustrations and sermons for the Proper 9 and July 4th can be
accessed at <A title=http://www.sermons.com/
href="http://www.sermons.com/"><FONT
color=#800080>www.Sermons.com</FONT></A>.</DIV>
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