Dedication

When Billy Sunday was converted and joined the church, a Christian man put his arm on the young man’s shoulder and said, “William, there are three simple rules I can give to you, and if you will hold to them you will never write “backslider” after your name.

“Take 15 minutes each day to listen to God talking to you; take 15 minutes each day to talk to God; take 15 minutes each day to talk to others about God.”

1. Johnny Fulton was run over by a car at the age of three. He suffered crushed hips, broken ribs, a fractured skull, and compound fractures in his legs. It did not look as if he would live. But he would not give up. In fact, he later ran the half-mile in less than two minutes.

2. Walt Davis was totally paralyzed by polio when he was nine years old, but he did not give up. He became the Olympic high jump champion in 1952.

A businessman well known for his ruthlessness once announced to writer Mark Twain, “Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments aloud at the top.”

”I have a better idea,” replied Twain. “You could stay in Boston and keep them.”

Source: Today in the Word, September 1991, Moody Bible Institute

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

David Livingstone was the pioneer missionary to Africa, who walked over 29,000 miles in his ministry. His wife died early in their ministry and he faced stiff opposition from his Scottish brethren. He wrote the following words in his diary: “Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever me from any tie but the tie that binds me to Your service and to Your heart.”

Source: Through the Fire, Joseph Stowell

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Suppose you had a thousand-acre farm and someone offered to buy it. You agree to sell the land except for one acre right in the center which you want to keep for yourself. Did you know that in some areas the law would allow you to have access to that one lone spot? And that you would have the right to build a road across the surrounding property in order to get to it?

Adams Towing service got some pretty bad press in August 2009. One of their trucks was pictured in newspapers all across the country.  It was damaged and partially submerged in a backyard swimming pool with another vehicle in tow. Law enforcement officials outside of Buffalo, New York said the 25-year-old driver was texting on one cell phone while talking on another when the crash occurred. Nicholas Sparks hit a car, crashed through a residential fence, sideswiped a house, and then came to a stop when his tow-truck rolled into the pool.

In the 1880s a young man who was an earnest Christian found employment in a pawnshop. Although he disliked the work, he did it faithfully as unto the Lord until a more desirable opportunity opened for him. To prepare himself for a life of Christian service, he wrote on a scrap of paper the following resolutions: “I do promise God that I will rise early every morning to have a few minutes—not less than five—in private prayer.

Derek Redmond was a great runner, but he was an even greater finisher. Derek will be forever remembered for his staggering performance in the 400-meter men’s semifinals during the summer Olympics of 1992 in Barcelona, Spain.

A young man decided to take private boxing lessons. He found a boxing coach at a nearby gym who agreed to give him twenty-six weekly sessions. As part of his instruction, the young man was required to spar with other aspiring boxers at the gym.

After the first session, he was sore and swollen. He didn't realize that it would be this difficult. The battered youth had some questions for his coach.

“You say there are twenty-six lessons in this course?”

“That's right,” answered the teacher.

“And the rest of them are going to be like today?”

Have you ever heard the story about the man who became president for a day?

Does anybody know the name of the man who was president for a day?