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There are over 900 stories and commentaries on this blog. It is added to daily.
Click on http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com to read selected Sermons from over 50 years of Neil's ministry.
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You can no more blame your circumstances for your character than you can blame the mirror for the way you look.
Anonymous
It
is strange that while praying, we seldom ask for a change of character, but
always a change of circumstances.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Character
is a victory, not a gift.
Anonymous
Anonymous
What is man?
Who are you?
There are digital pictures of you and me
everywhere...but who are we...in the eternal nature of things...beneath God's
blinking stars and majestic universe...what and who are we?
The Bible says we were made in the image of God. The Bible says we can be born again of the
spirit.
And in the middle of the night...we wonder...is there a large
heavenly book somewhere that list the name of each and every one of us born for
awhile to this earthly existence?
The Psalmist says that we are "a little less than
divine." (Psalm 8:4-5)
What is man?
He is sometimes blind to the best life offers and thereby falls
victim to the worst.
An ole preacher wrote, "No instrument man can make can
match the instrument that he is."
Psalm
8:3-4: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and
the stars which thou hast ordained; What is man that thou art mindful of him?
and the son of man that thou visitest him?"
Man is capable of sin or sainthood. It takes no special amount of intelligence to
know that this is true.,
Nor can any of us looking down upon a tiny
babe envisage what that child will be.
Sir Isaac Newton was born so physically
small and feeble he balanced between life and death, his existence just an imperceptible
flutter... it seemed it would soon come to an end
But at the end of forty years he was
calculating the speed of that light to which his baby eyes had so tardily
opened, and was weighing planets and stars in the scales of his mighty
intellect!
What is man? He is an unbelievable potential time and time again.
What is Man?
I will remind the both of us what he can
be and should be for the betterment of the existence of life.
Watch Television and many of the people
seen in the sitcoms are an example of men behaving badly or stupidly or both.
What difference does it make? When men behave badly society suffers. When men behave goodly society is
strengthened. Or as the Psalmist puts
it...
1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth
in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)
A few years ago, Time Magazine featured a
story about Peter Sellers. It told about him appearing on the Muppet Show &
being interviewed by Kermit The Frog. His interview began with Kermit telling
Peter Sellers, "Now, just relax & be yourself."
Peter Sellers responded, "I can’t be myself because I don’t know who I am. The real me doesn’t exist."
Peter Sellers responded, "I can’t be myself because I don’t know who I am. The real me doesn’t exist."
It is required by God and common sense and
for the common good that each of us decide who we ought to be that is our best
and then constantly evaluate who we are...and try to continue to be better than
our best...and then pray and think and work toward becoming that best over and
over again.
To say "I don't know who I am"
is a cop out.
Who does your mirror say you are? Does your mouth show you growl more often
than you grin? Are those worry lines beneath your eyes and in the look of the
eyes themselves does anxiety reside with gusto?
Or does it show you believe and continue
to seek the truth behind the words, "I am come that you might have life
and that you might have it more abundantly."
James 1:23-24 warns, "For if any be a
hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural
face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway
forgetteth what manner of man he was".
The
curvature of the moral spine is an affliction which only the Great Physician
can cure.
Anonymous
Anonymous
In
vain I have searched the Bible, looking for examples of early believers whose
lives were marked by rigidity, predictability, inhibition, dullness, and
caution. Fortunately, grim, frowning, joyless saints in Scriptures are
conspicuous by their absence. Instead, the examples I find are of adventurous,
risk-taking, enthusiastic, and authentic believers whose joy was contagious
even in times of full trial. Their vision was broad even when death drew near.
Rules were few and changes were welcome. The contrast between then and now is
staggering.
Charles (Chuck) Swindoll
Insight for Living
Charles (Chuck) Swindoll
Insight for Living
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Just
remember that “the pain of discipline will cost you pennies, whereas the pain
of regret will cost you millions.”
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How can we keep our faith from being a weak and fruitless thing? How can we not be foolish little men and women groveling in the dark shadows of overeager egos.
Well, first we must do more than just pray. We must believe in our own prayers.
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Anxiety
out of proportion makes us become like a centipede trying to put his best foot
forward.
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It's
an old joke, I went to the doctor and I said, “Doc, when I do this, it hurts.”
And the doctor said, “Then don't do that.”
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How many things have you been anxious
about that were things which you knew before you got into them were probably
going to create some problems for you?
And if you asked your doctor, or your minister, or common sense and your
God, all of them would have said, “Don’t do that.”
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To buy into the
community of accountability we have to realize that like bikers we are divided
into two categories. Those who have fallen and those who will fall for anything. None of us are perfect.
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Think
on it this way, some philosopher of old wrote it and it endures because there
is so much truth in it… every right
implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a
duty
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Some
of the sermon titles posted recently
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Before you decide
to purchase or not purchase his book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN.... view his Award Winning One Man Dramatization
of Lincoln (since he wrote the script for this drama it will give you an
insight into what you will find in the book itself)
Available on
Amazon.com in printed form and on Amazon Kindle Books. and at
many other sites
TO VIEW THE LINCOLN
One Man DRAMA and 3 other dramas; Ben Franklin, Martin Luther & Charles
Wesley
click on the
following URL
http://www.speakerneil.com/
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BELOW
ARE MORE QUOTES FROM NEIL'S RECENTLY POSTED SERMONS
++++++++++++++++++
A QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON MY
OTHER BLOG WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED
Two stores faced each other across a very
busy street. Their owners were in constant competition
with each other. One day, the owner of
one store put out a sign that read – If
you want it, we have it!
Almost immediately the other owner put out a
sign –If we don’t have it, you don’t
need it!
A QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON MY
OTHER BLOG WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED
WHO ARE
YOU?
NO…WHOSE ARE YOU?
Who are you? Whose are
you?
You influence and are influenced
according to the answer you give.
Are you are the flavor of the month because
you are determined to be like everyone else no matter what? If so, consider being more independent in our
thinking and actions...because God wants you to grow up.
It may be easier being someone's shadow but
wouldn't you really rather be a sun.
QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED "Who
Are You? Whose Are You?"
This is an old quote, and a romantic one
as well but, nevertheless, can anyone say of you, “I love you not because of who you are,
but because of who I am when I am with you.”
QUOTE FROM THOUGHT PIECE POSTED
ON WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED
" WHEN A NATION STRAYS TOO FAR FROM BEING MORAL IT IS WELL ON IT'S WAY
TO BECOMING A MESS
James 4:17
To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it,
to him it is sin.
Someone once said: “A
belief is what you hold, a conviction is what holds you!”
So what holds you,
constructs you, leads you with a push when needed?
Quotes
POSTED ON WYRICK'S WRITING ENTITLED WHO
ARE YOU?
NO…WHOSE ARE YOU?
In a Peanuts
cartoon strip Peppermint Patty is shown talking to Charlie Brown.
“Guess what, Chuck? It’s the first day
of school and I got sent to the principal’s office.
And it’s your fault!”
Charlie Brown responds, “My fault? How
could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?”
To which she declares, “You’re my
friend, aren’t you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me.”
In the comics, it’s funny… but in real life it’s much more
complicated.
Would you like to read the entire thought
piece? Then... TO TAKE YOU TO THE WYRICK'S WRITING'S
SITE
click on
the following
Yes, God loves you the way you
are but he loves you too much to let you stay that way.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Click on the URL below to WATCH NEIL IN
HIS WORLD FAMOUS ONE MAN DRAMATIZATIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BEN FRANKLIN,
CHARLES WESLEY AND MARTIN LUTHER
To
Order and Read
Neil's 9th book THE
SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN
GO TO amazon.com
QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book
STILL RECEIVING RAVE REVIEWS 8 YEARS AFTER IT'S PUBLICATION.
"Positive,
powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation
of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."
Lt.
Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)
"The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is
an extremely well written book that investigates what might be
termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very
readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and
with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'
William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and
Wild Thorn
"Wyrick has authored a wonderful
examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly
religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of
information."
Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian
minister
"When it comes to invoking religion in
support of any of their decisions, politicians need to sit at the feet of
Abraham Lincoln. Reinhold Niebuhr once called him 'America's greatest
theologian.' Why so great? Because he invariably distinguished between human
works and the works of the Almighty. As Wyrick says, 'He wore
the mantle of humility easily: because he was more impressed with what God was
doing in the world than with what he, president of the United States in the
midst of an awful crisis, was doing. That is why in his last major speech he
distinguished between both human causes in the Civil War and the Almighty's
'own purposes.' Lincoln would have agreed that it is better to leave God-talk
out of politics than to decorate human proposals with divinity. This is a book
for our American time. Through his careful study of Lincoln's career, Wyrick
compels us to remember that piety belongs in politics only when piety
transcends politics."
Dr.
Donald W. Shriver
Emeritus professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
Author of An Ethic for Enemies: Forgiveness in Politics
"V. Neil Wyrick's fine work allows the reader to appreciate Abraham
Lincoln's Christian commitment and his prophetic role in American history.
Should have a wide readership."
James
H. Smylie Professor
of Church History (Ret.) Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia
"Neil
Wyrick's The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln should be read by anyone attempting to understand the man who was probably
the most complex person to ever hold the office of president of the United
States. Dr. Wyrick is intent on demonstrating that the spirituality so often
expressed in Lincoln's writings and speeches was not merely lip service to a
Deity, but rather expressions of a profound faith in a real God. It was this
faith that provided the wisdom, compassion, insight and sometimes steel that
Lincoln would need in full measure as he led the United States through
the Civil War. Dr. Wyrick's clear and unpretentious style of presentation is
very much in keeping with the character ofhis subject, and in so doing, Wyrick
makes his point very well that Lincoln, his beliefs, and the faith that formed
them, are as relevant to a troubled America in 2004 as they were in 1863."
Daniel Allen Butler, author
of "Unsinkable"; The Full Story of the RMS Titanic, The
Lusitania and The Age o f Cunard
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