Sermon Central
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Writing About The Importance Of Helping People ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2004 (message contributor)
Writing about the importance of helping people become all they can be, author and speaker John Maxwell writes,
"In 2000, Atlanta Braves star pitcher John Smoltz suffered a blow that could have ended his illustrious career. After battling various injuries for several seasons, he underwent ligament replacement surgery on the elbow of his throwing arm and missed the entire season.
"Smoltz, who won the Cy Young award in 1996, returned the following year, but only started a few games before his arm began to bother him again. At that point, his coaches made a key decision. Seeing that his arm felt fine until the fifth or sixth inning, they decided to convert him to relief work, where he would only have to pitch one or two innings per game.
"Although Smoltz resisted the change initially, the coaches’ plan worked. In his role as a closer in 2002, Smoltz set a National League record with 55 saves.
"In an interview with Baseball Digest, Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone attributed Smoltz’s successful transformation to his pitching skills and his ability to ’maintain his starter’s mentality as a closer.’ But it goes deeper than that. Had the Braves coaching staff not recognized that Smoltz had the potential to become a great relief pitcher in the first place, he may have continued struggle in a starting role until his arm was too damaged to pitch at all. Instead, they encouraged him to try a new role, and their whole organization reaped the rewards."
God has placed every believer in the body just as He wanted them to be. As they mature, believers may discover they can’t do the same things they’ve done before because of the effects of aging. But this doesn’t mean they are "washed up," that their ministries have come to an end. Instead, others in the body may help them discover new roles where they can thrive in a different (or perhaps a modified) ministry. The whole church (and the kingdom) will reap the rewards.
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It Is The Japanese Who Have Created The Best ...
Contributed by Steve Rutherford on Aug 18, 2005
It is the Japanese who have created the best swords in the world. To create these fine weapons, ancient Japanese sword makers had to create a sword that was hard enough to retain a sharp edge, but at the same time soft enough not to be brittle. Sword makers who made swords by making the steel hard ...read more
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Do All The Good You Can", In Other Words, Help ...
Contributed by Scott Bradford on Jan 11, 2007
"Do all the good you can", In other words, help thy neighbor. I just got off the phone with our daughter in law to see how she’s feeling with the radiation treatments. She’s tired now and feels sore but her skin is not burned. She told me about our grandson Patrick who is nine years old and ...read more
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A Lot Of People Think They Are Self-Acclaimed ... PRO
Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 5, 2007
A lot of people think they are self-acclaimed experts. Take this health food advice: Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true? A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it... don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. ...read more
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In Spite Of The Fun And Laughter, 13 Yr. Old ... PRO
Contributed by John Gerald on Sep 11, 2004
In spite of the fun and laughter, 13 yr. old Frank Wilson was not happy. It was true, he had received all the presents he wanted, and he enjoyed the traditional Christmas Eve reunions with relatives for the purpose of exchanging gifts and good wishes..........but Frank was not happy because this ...read more
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Reformed Pastor Michael Horton, In His Book, "A ... PRO
Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 30, 2004
Reformed Pastor Michael Horton, in his book, "A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of God-Centered Worship writes: We are repeatedly told these days that music is the most important thing we do in worship. In fact, "worship" usually means singing or enjoying the singing of others. "Let’s ...read more
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