HELLO EVERYONE! THIS MONTH WE ARE GOING TO TRY A NEW SECTION CALLED (drum roll please . . . . .) SCRIPTURAL CATCHPHRASE! THE IDEA IS TO USE WELL KNOWN WORDS IN A “CATCHPHRASE” SETTING TO HELP YOU REMEMBER AND FIND THE SCRIPTURE THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR HEART. TAGGING A “CATCHPHRASE” IN THIS MANNER SHOULD ALLOW YOU TO REMEMBER THE SCRIPTURE NUMBER AS WELL.

IDEAS FOR YOUR “CATCHPHRASE” CAN BE TAKEN FROM MOVIES, BOOKS, SONGS, PRODUCTS, ETC., ANYTHING THAT REMINDS YOU OF THE PARTICULAR VERSE OR VERSES, AS LONG AS IT PERTAINS TO THE SCRIPTURE YOU’RE TRYING TO “CATCH”. HERE IS THE FIRST ONE! Brenning Shook - September 2004

Scriptural

Catchphrase Corner

Send us your Catchphrase - faumc1@bellsouth.net

“HIGH QUALITY H2O”

JOHN 4:14 –“But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

(“High Quality H20” is taken from the movie “Water Boy”)

THIS IS A FUN WAY TO GET GOD’S WORD INTO OUR HEARTS AND ARM OURSELVES FOR ANYTHING WE MIGHT FACE. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16 SAYS, “ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, SO THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”

GLAD Wrap
EPHESIANS 1:13 –And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

THE JOY OF KNOWING THAT WE ARE SEALED UP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT UNTIL JUDGEMENT DAY IS A PROMISE FROM GOD THAT WE CAN BE CONFIDENT IN. 2 CORINTHIANS 1:22 TELLS US THIS–”set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IF THAT DON’T LIGHT YOUR FIRE, YOUR WOOD’S WET.

EXTREME MAKEOVER:HEART EDITION**

EZEKIEL 36:26-”I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

GOD PROMISES US IF WE TRUST IN HIM THAT HE WILL GIVE US A NEW HEART FOR FOLLOWING HIM AND PUT HIS SPIRIT WITHIN US. (Submitted by PASTOR FRED CARPENTER)

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

Psalm 46:10-Be still and know that I am God.

Revelation 3:20-Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.

IS CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART? CAN YOU HEAR HIM ASKING YOU IF HE MAY ENTER? LETTING HIM IN IS YOUR ONLY HOPE FOR LASTING FULFILLMENT! (Submitted by Randy Cox)

DON’T BE A “CHICKEN of the SEA”

Luke 8:23—25: “..and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake (Galilean Sea), and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he spoke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

Even though the disciples were with the Almighty Lord Jesus himself, they still fretted and feared. Put your complete trust in him today so you won’t be a “Chicken of the Sea.“ (Submitted by CHIP MILLER)
 

THE RE-BORN IDENTITY
II Corinthians 5:17 –Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

THIS SCRIPTURE IS JUST SOME OF THE BEST IN THE BIBLE TO ME. THIS SHOULD BE A STAPLE FOR ANY CHRISTIAN! I CAN STILL RECALL WITH JOY AND THE SAME EXCITEMENT I HAD THEN, HOW THESE WORDS SPOKE TO MY HEART. I KNEW THAT I HAD A BRAND NEW START AS I ACCEPTED AND TRULY TRUSTED JESUS AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR! THE PAST DID NOT MATTER ANY LONGER, I ONLY LOOKED TO THE FUTURE DAY BY DAY, WITH REAL HOPE THAT I HADN’T FELT IN A LONG TIME. WHAT ABOUT THAT HOPE NOW? IT HAS GROWN, JUST AS MY TRUST IN JESUS HAS GROWN! HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED A RE-BORN IDENTITY? IT’S NOT TOO LATE!

FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION
Hebrews 4:15&16—”This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. “

AS HUMANS, BY OURSELVES & ON OUR OWN, WE ARE ALL FAILURES. BUT WHEN WE ACCEPT THE PRECIOUS BLOOD, THE PERFECT LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF OUR LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE NO LONGER FAILURES. WE ARE NEW CREATURES WHO FOREVER ARE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR. YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO GO AT IT ALONE. YOUR ETERNAL SOUL IS IN JEOPARDY & “FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION”. PLEASE COME TO HIM NOW! (Submitted by MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, ALLEN SELLERS (A.K.A. CYBORG))
 

GOT MILK?

1 PETER 2:2-Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation:

STARTING A BRAND NEW YEAR IS A TIME TO EVALUATE WHERE ONE’S PRIORITIES ARE. AS ALWAYS WE LOOK AHEAD AND MAKE PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. SPIRITUALLY, IT IS IMPOSSIPLE TO GROW IF WE ARE NOT SEEKING GOD’S WORD FOR OUR LIVES. THIS MEANS SEEKING HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES BY PUTTING HIS WORD IN OUR HEARTS AND GROWING TOWARDS GOD, NOT STAYING IDLE OR MOVING BACKWARD. SEEKING THIS SINCERE WORD WILL ALLOW US TO MATURE INTO THE PEOPLE CHRIST IS CALLING US TO BE. IF YOU WANT A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE BIBLE PUT IN A YEAR FORMAT, STARTING ON JANUARY 1st. GIVE IT AN HONEST TRY AND UNLOCK THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS WAITING FOR YOU! FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I KNOW IT WORKS. GOT MILK?

HERE’S ONE INSPIRED BY MY 2 YEAR-OLD SON, SPENCER SHOOK. HE IS ALWAYS SHARING THIS MOVIE CATCHPHRASE AND PROBABLY MOST EVERYONE ELSE’S KIDS ARE TOO IF THEY HAVE SEEN TOY STORY:

INFINITY AND BEYOND
JOHN 3:16-For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

THIS ONE IS FROM MY MOM, GLENDA FAYE, FROM A FAMILIAR GAME THAT EVERYONE HAS PLAYED. THIS IS A GOOD PHRASE THAT LENDS ITSELF AS 2 THINGS WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST:

HIDE AND SEEK
PSALM 119:2,11 Verse 11-I have “HIDDEN” your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Verse 2- Blessed are they who keep his statues and “SEEK” him with all their heart.

HIDING GOD’S WORD IN OUR HEARTS IS A DETERRENT TO SIN.
THIS ALONE SHOULD INSPIRE US TO MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE.
WE MUST PUT GOD’S WORD TO WORK IN OUR LIVES AND SEEK HIS WILL EACH DAY!

ALL TEMPERATURE CHEER

PHILIPPIANS- 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

AMEN! THIS PIECE OF SCRIPTURE WAS WRITTEN BY THE APOSTLE PAUL AT A TIME WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON. HIS ATTITUDE TEACHES US AN IMPORTANT LESSON: OUR INNER ATTITUDES DO NOT HAVE TO REFLECT OUR OUTWARD CIRCUMSTANCES. PAUL WAS FULL OF JOY BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, JESUS CHRIST WAS WITH HIM! DO WE, AS CHRISTIANS, PORTRAY THIS IN OUR ACTIONS TO OTHERS? WE SHOULD. THE SECRET IS TO DRAW ON CHRIST’S POWER AND RELY ON GOD’S PROMISES.

TRY JESUS HE’S THE “REAL THING”

1 CORINTHIANS 10:4-”And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

CHRIST IS THE ROCK ETERNAL. NO MATTER IN WHAT FORM, HE IS SUPPLYING ALL OUR NEEDS. COLOSSIANS 1:16,17 SAYS-For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Submitted by Julia Sharpe)

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

ISAIAH 61:10-”I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness”

THIS ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS OFFERED TO ALL THAT BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AND TURN THEIR LIVES TO HIM! 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 SAYS-”God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

JOHN 14: 2,3 IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY ROOMS; IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I AM GOING THERE TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME BACK AND TAKE YOU TO BE WITH ME THAT YOU ALSO MAY BE WHERE I AM.

These few verses are rich with promises. Jesus says he will be back to take us to our eternal home where we will live in his presence forever. That is a promise that makes me anxiously await the King’s eminent return and makes me feel home sick. (Submitted by Bryce Shook)
 

CROSS-EYED
HEBREWS 12:2- “LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, SCORNING ITS SHAME, AND SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.”

There are many nuggets of scripture that just gets you excited and for me this is it! Being A true Christian is not easy. It requires us to give up whatever endangers our relationship with God, to run patiently, and to struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit. To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We will stumble if we look away from him to stare at ourselves or at the circumstances surrounding us. We should be running for Christ, not ourselves, and we must always keep him in sight. This is what it means to have CROSS-EYED FOCUS!

Psalm 42:5: “…Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him- My Savior & My God!”

If we will put our hope in “Yahweh” (the Hebrew word for God), and not in the things of this world, we have the promise of life through his Son, Jesus Christ. God is our hope for the present, the future and eternity. He is our everything if we will let him be. Praise Him for He is our Savior! Praise Him for He is our God! (submitted by Allen Sellers)
 

DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY

PSALM 18:2- THE LORD IS MY ROCK, MY FORTRESS AND MY DELIVERER; MY GOD, MY STRENGTH, IN WHOM I WILL TRUST: MY SHIELD AND THE HORN OF MY SALVATION, AND MY HIGH TOWER.

God’s protection for his people is mighty indeed! By calling the Lord all of these fine things, David illustrates that the Lord is his savior. First he says God is like a rock that can’t be moved by any who would harm us. Next, he calls him a fortress or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow. Thirdly, a shield that comes in between us and harm. Then he explains that God is the horn of his salvation, a symbol of might and power! The last characteristic is-he is my high tower or stronghold high above our enemies. A high tower is also a good place to get a vision, a perspective of life. Many of us need to go to the high tower. This verse contains excellent names for our God as well. Jesus said in Mark 12:30-LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALLYOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. Put ALL your trust in the Lord today and never fret again…”DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY!”

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION

“BUT GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE FOR US IN THIS: WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.” ROMANS 5:8

God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, not because we were good enough, but because He loves us. God commends His love to those who are sinning-the unworthy. Man has nothing to offer in return. He is a poor, weak, bankrupt creature and a big sinner. That all the more shows how AWESOME God's love is for all of us...Christ died for us before we ever loved him in return.

“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.”
JOHN 15:13

HERE IS A LOCATION THAT IS WORTHY TO BE ON A CAR TAG OR STICKER!

“We’re citizens of Heaven!” Philippians 3:20

“This Kingdom of Faith is now your Home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone!” Ephesians 2:19

GODSPEED

“WHEREFORE SEEING WE ALSO ARE COMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH SO EASILY ENTANGLES US, AND LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US.” HEBREWS 12:1

How faithful and obedient do we allow ourselves to be to God? We can get encouragement from reading how others in the bible persevered through trust, faithfulness and Obedience.

“DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT IN A RACE ALL THE RUNNERS RUN, BUT ONLY ONE GETS THE PRIZE? RUN IN SUCH A WAY AS TO GET THE PRIZE.” 1 CORINTHIANS 9:24
 

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

MATTHEW 19:26 –Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

NO MATTER WHAT THE “MISSION” MAY BE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS WE HAVE GOD MAKING THE WAY POSSIBLE FOR US! FOR THE BIBLE SAYS IN JEREMIAH 32:17-“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” I HOPE TO SEE SOME OF YOUR IDEAS SOON! (WANTED: YOUR CATCHPHRASE HERE)

LET FREEDOM RING!
GALATIONS 5:1- STAND FAST THEREFORE IN THE LIBERTY WHEREWITH CHRIST HATH MADE US FREE, AND BE NOT ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE. Christ died to set us free from sin and from a long list of laws and regulations. He came to set us free-not free to do whatever we want because that would lead us back into slavery to our selfish desires. Rather, thanks to Christ, we are now free and able to do what was impossible before-to live unselfishly. Because of Jesus’ obedient sacrifice, he gives us freedom to give our lives to focus on others instead of being controlled by our own desires, leading us to problems of disastrous proportions, saving us from feelings of helplessness and of personal imprisonment. This freedom enables us to live by fruits of the spirit (Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control) and not by fruits of the flesh (too many to list here). Freedom to enjoy life, not being consumed by worry of what the future holds, but knowing rather who holds the future! I urge you, if you don’t know Jesus as your Savior…give your life to him today and LET FREEDOM RING for ETERNITY! If the Son therefore shall set you free, you shall be free indeed! John 8:36

THANKS to JESUS!
(WANTED: YOUR CATCHPHRASE HERE)

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever.           A-men.

CHEW-A-CUD!
PSALM 119:148-MY EYES STAY OPEN THROUGH THE WATCHES OF THE NIGHT, THAT I MAY MEDITATE ON YOUR PROMISES.
I want to show you how this phrase works out. Here’s the definition of a ruminant.

Ruminant- 1. any of a group of hooved mammals that chew their cud, i.e., that regurgitate and chew again food that has already been swallowed. Ruminants have an even number of toes on each foot and a stomach with either three or four chambers. In the first chamber, called the rumen, the food is mixed with fluid to form a soft mass, the cud, or bolus. The regurgitated cud, after having been slowly chewed, is swallowed again, and passes through the rumen into the other stomach chambers for further digestion.

Now here is also another definition of ruminant.
2 : given to or engaged in contemplation : MEDITATIVE

Well…there it is! It’s not only technically sound but it actually has a fun ring to it! So next time you find yourself pondering the marvelous mysteries of God’s Wonderful Grace, remember that you are Chewing-A-Cud and that’s a great place to be! Hallelujah to JESUS!

GROUNDED FROM THE LORD UP

EPHESIANS 3:17-19 THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH: THAT YE, BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE, MAY BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WITH ALL SAINTS WHAT IS THE BREADTH, AND LENGTH, AND DEPTH, AND HEIGHT; AND TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE, THAT YE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD.

In union with Christ and through his empowering Spirit, we are complete. We have all the fullness of God available to us. But we must appropriate that fullness through faith and through prayer as we daily live our lives for him. By “FAITH”, he lives in our hearts. Isn’t it reassuring to be rooted and grounded in his love, a love that passes all understanding!

1 JOHN 4:14 AND WE HAVE SEEN AND TESTIFY THAT THE FATHER HAS SENT HIS SON TO BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD! JOHN 1:14 tells us-AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US, (AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER.) FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. Furthermore scripture says in JOHN 3:17 -FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD: BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. No one else will ever care more than that! (Submitted by Julia Sharpe)