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You Don’t Have Family In Nigeria!!!

Click Picture to Watch Video
Click Picture to Watch Video

I saw this video on CNN.com where a lady lost $400,000 to a Nigerian email scam…yes that was $400,000 (dollars)…watch the video to see what all she sold and cashed in for what she thought was going to be a $20 Million Dollar payday. I think the lady in the video says it best, “YOU DON’T HAVE FAMILY IN NIGERIA!” Don’t fall for this scam. ALSO – Check out the 419 Eater website for funny stories and pictures of Nigerian email scammers being scammed by some smart people…they would be the people who did not send $400,000 to a “family” member in Nigeria (These stories are awesome).

Also on the video is a sad, but semi-funny story about an elderly lady who was robbed when she fell for an exploding toilet story by a robber who was wearing a fake water company uniform.

And the third story is about two men who stole an ATM with a stolen fork lift. Watch the video, I am sure you will be entertained. Join the Conversation: What’s the funniest crime story you’ve ever heard or experienced?

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/11/19/pn.most.outrageous.email.scam.cnn

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Can God Get A Loan?

hundred-dollar-bills

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord – and he will repay you! Proverbs 19:17

I found this verse interesting. People always talk about being ‘the hands and feet of Jesus’ to help those who are in need, but how about the ‘bank of Jesus?’ I think a lot of us look at giving to the poor in terms of what we have financially, we make comments like, “When God blesses me with extra, then I can give to others.” However, I get the impression that God works like this, “You give from whatever I’ve already given you, and then I’ll repay you based on your kindness.”

To me this puts a new perspective on Matthew 25:40 (MSG) where Jesus says, whatever we do to those overlooked and ignored, we do it to Him. Proverbs is saying that we are not giving our money to the poor…we are giving a loan to God, he’s just predesignated that he wants the money to go, and he wants it to go to those who are overlooked and ignored. This promise from Proverbs is not limited to “Christians.” I see tons of secular businesses that are very successful, and many times if you look behind the scenes they are highly involved in charitable giving. I just think the Church should be leading the way…

This is personally something I have to work on. My family is definitely not rich, but that cannot be an excuse! Join the Conversation…What do you think? Is God’s credit good enough at your bank?

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Hypocritical People

hypocrite

A few weeks ago I was given the privilege to preach at my church for our series Rock Band, relationships in Concert. This was a tough message for me, I seriously felt like I was speaking at a counseling session. It was probably tough because of the hypocrite story I shared in the message. Despite that, I had several people come to me afterward and share that they received some encouragement or help from the message, so I thought I would post it here, in hopes other people may do the same.

CLICK HERE to download the Audio.

I am not the best speaker in the world, but I trust that if God gave me the opportunity to speak, he can overcome the flaws to get his message across. For more messages from The Church at Greenbrier CLICK HERE for instruction to our podcast or HERE to go straight to the Greenbrier I-Tunes podcast.

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Are You Killing Your Church?

Rick Warren writes in the Purpose Driven Life…

What happens when one part of your body fails to function? You get sick. The rest of your body suffers. Imagine if your liver decided to start living for itself: “I’m tired! I don’t want to serve the body anymore! I want a year off just to be fed. I’ve got to do what’s best for me! Let some other part take over.” What would happen? Your body would die. Today thousands of local churches are dying because of Christians who are unwilling to serve. They sit on the sidelines as spectators, and the Body suffers.

1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT) says…

A Spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

Rick points out in the book that we are do not serve to be saved, rather we are saved to serve. One of the reasons Christ gives us new life is so that we can die to our old selves and live as Christ has called us to live. As Christ Followers we are given gifts and according to 1 Corinthians that gift’s purpose is to help each other.

Join the Conversation: Are you killing your church by sitting on the sideline and not serving? Or are you using your gifts and new life to help your church thrive by helping others, what does that look like in your life?