Heart Touchers - When We Miss The Target By Max Lucado

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When We Miss the Target

by Max Lucado

Read the first verse of Matthew's gospel. Jesus knew David's ways. He witnessed the adultery, winced at the murders, and grieved at the dishonesty. But David's failures didn't change Jesus' relation to David. The initial verse of the first chapter of the first gospel calls Christ "the son of David" (Matt. 1:1 KJV). The title contains no disclaimers, explanations, or asterisks. I'd have added a footnote: "This connection in no way offers tacit approval to David's behavior." No such words appear. David blew it. Jesus knew it. But he claimed David anyway.

He did for David what my father did for my brother and me.

Back in our elementary school days, my brother received a BB gun for Christmas. We immediately set up a firing range in the backyard and spent the afternoon shooting at an archery target. Growing bored with the ease of hitting the circle, my brother sent me to fetch a hand mirror. He placed the gun backward on his shoulder, spotted the archery bull's-eye in the mirror, and did his best Buffalo Bill imitation. But he missed the target. He also missed the storehouse behind the target and the fence behind the storehouse. We had no idea where the BB pellet flew. Our neighbor across the alley knew, however. He soon appeared at the back fence, asking who had shot the BB gun and who was going to pay for his sliding-glass door.

At this point I disowned my brother. I changed my last name and claimed to be a holiday visitor from Canada. My father was more noble than I. Hearing the noise, he appeared in the backyard, freshly rousted from his Christmas Day nap, and talked with the neighbor.

Among his words were these:

"Yes, they are my children."

"Yes, I'll pay for their mistakes."

Christ says the same about you. He knows you miss the target. He knows you can't pay for your mistakes. But he can. "God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins" (Rom. 3:25 NLT).

Since he was sinless, he could.

Since he loves you, he did. "This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:10 NLT).

He became one of us to redeem all of us. "Jesus, who makes people holy, and those who are made holy are from the same family. So he is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters" (Heb. 2:11 NCV).

He wasn't ashamed of David. He isn't ashamed of you. He calls you brother; he calls you sister. The question is, do you call him Savior?

by Max Lucado -- From Facing Your Giants

Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2006)

With more than 40 million books in print, Max Lucado has touched millions with his signature storytelling writing style. Awards and accolades follow Max with each book he writes. Max is the first author to win the Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year three times -- 1999 for Just Like Jesus, 1997 for In the Grip of Grace and 1995 for When God Whispers Your Name.

Max serves as the pulpit minister of the Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas. But he says his greatest accomplishment is finding a one-in-a-million wife in Denalyn and having three unbelievable daughters: Jenna, Andrea, and Sara.

You can visit his web site at: maxlucado.com

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Creation Q & A

Q: How can death be a "battle" about history?

A: We live in a world of death. Animals die; people die. Death, suffering, bloodshed, violence, and disease pervade the world. How did all this happen? And why do we have a world so full of life and yet totally permeated by death?

If you take the book of Genesis as literal history, then death is an intrusion into this world. The Bible describes it as an "enemy." The first man, Adam, rebelled against God. As a result, the once-perfect world suffered corruption. The Apostle Paul says the whole cosmos groans because of sin. But the Bible also reveals that, one day, death will be thrown into the lake of fire-there will be a new heavens and a new earth, restored to the way it was before sin.

But if you believe in billions of years for the age of the earth and universe, then you also must accept that the fossil layers, full of dead things, were formed over millions of years before man. Thus, this history, based on man's beliefs, teaches that death, disease, violence, and bloodshed were around for millions of years before man was created-millions of years before the Fall.

What a stark contrast. The heart of the age-of-the-earth controversy is a "battle" between two histories of death. But think about it: only the Bible's account concerning death gives us hope.

For more information, click here: Two histories of death

Source: AnswersinGenesis.org

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Creation News

Click on the Bible above or visit the web site listed below!

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This new addition to our web site will give you an article on the leading news in the Creation/Evolution controversy each day.

This section also includes a rotating Question and Answer feature and a weekly Creation Comic strip from the people at AnswersInGenesis.org.

Be sure to come back and visit each day for an informative article that will help you keep up to date on the latest news in this controversial area!

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Thought For The Day

"Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air... but only for one second without hope." --Hal Lindsey

Verse for the Day

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Kid's Thought For The Day

The teacher asked her class what each wanted to become when they grew up. A chorus of responses came from all over the room. "A football player," "A doctor," "An astronaut," "The president," "A fireman," "A teacher," "A race car driver." Everyone that is, except Tommy.

The teacher noticed he was sitting there quiet and still. So she said to him, "Tommy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Possible" Tommy replied.

"Possible?" asked the teacher.

"Yes," Tommy said. "My mom is always telling me I'm impossible. So when I get to be big, I want to be possible."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"Don't ask the Lord to guide your footsteps unless you are willing to move your feet."

Coach's Thought For The Day

"Leaders are ordinary people -- with extraordinary determination."

Writer's Thought For The Day

Whenever I'm reading really bad prose, I always remember it could be verse.

Deep Thought For The Day

"Sign on the door of a maternity ward in a hospital: 'push, push, push'."

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This Week: "One Thing" by Jeff Williams

http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Inspired_Audio

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Video Imagery --Michael's Video Production Business

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Dear Michael,

"I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the beautiful video you made for me! It was so special to see both of my parents in tears as they watched their children grow up in pictures before their eyes! I loved the way you made Estania's part set aside from the rest--that was the part that really got them! The music was beautiful. My mom kept blubbering, "What song is that?" I don't know how you did such a beautiful job with the video in such a short time. I really appreciate your doing it so quickly. You have a wonderful gift, and I thank God that you are using it to create such sentimental memories. I hope that I can find my niche like that in an area that I love. Your video gave us one of our most lasting Christmas memories! I hope yours was filled with moments to be treasured forever!"

Love,
Trisha
Silverhill, AL

Let me make you a video from your photos!
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Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?

http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Life_Purpose

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