Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus.
– Mother Teresa
Along with the glut of super heroes to emerge in comic book form was a lesser-known interplanetary character known as the Silver Surfer.
Silver Surfer’s mission was to find his woman who had mysteriously disappeared. He traveled on a surf board that was much like the hoverboard used by Michael J. Fox in the “Back to the Future” movies.
Like his counterparts, Superman, Batman, The Green Hornet, and Spider Man, the Silver Surfer’s adventures led him to fight a hoard of bad guys as he searched the earth for his lost love. He was driven by the desire to be reunited with the only woman he had ever loved.
In some ways, Jesus is on that same mission today. The Church is the Bride of Christ, but many of us have become so caught up in the things of this world that we have been drawn away from Him by the lusts of our own flesh and the pull of this world.
Are you Jesus’ missing Bride? If you have drawn away from Him, come back today! Run into the loving arms of your Savior. Give yourself to Him once again.
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isa. 55:6 NIV).
You will never be content until you have totally surrendered to Jesus and are truly acting like His Bride. You see, when we act like the Bride of Christ, He can use us to save those who are lost. He is using His Bride to complete His Body!
The Bride reflects the glory of the Bridegroom, which is His love for her. She radiates His love to everyone around her. Because He has shown her such compassion and mercy, she imparts His compassion and mercy to others. The wisdom and truth that He has given her, she freely gives to all who are in need.
When you act like Jesus’ Bride, you bring Him to the world – Mission 3:16!
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
Carman Domenic Licciardello is an enigma in Christian music, often described as part evangelist, part Vegas Showman. His concerts were more like a rock and roll Billy Graham Crusade than a Christian music event. After all the singing, dancing, clapping, and preaching, crowds of people would stream down to the counseling area to accept Christ-many times as many as 5,000 in an evening.
Admission was usually free; a simple offering was taken, similar to 30,000 churches on Sunday mornings. And he filled the largest stadiums the world over. Carman held the record for the largest Christian concert ever in Dallas, Texas. But it even goes beyond that. Take the Mega Stadium acts that played the famed landmark such as Pink Floyd, U 2, Madonna, The Jackson Five, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and even Metallic. As the newspapers noted, you'll see that the one-act that drew the highest attendance in Texas Stadium was Carman, with 71,132.
Carman (1956-2021) was a popular contemporary Christian singer and songwriter.
Born Carman Licciardello, he began recording under his first name and released his debut album in 1980. Carman began charting contemporary Christian hits in 1984 with "Sunday's on the Way," reaching No. 1 with "The Champion" (1986) and "Radically Saved" (1988). His other hit songs include "Lord of All," "Jesus Is the Light," and "Satan, Bite the Dust!" Carman reportedly holds the world record for the largest audience at a Christian concert. His popularity was at its height in the 1980s and early '90s, but he continued releasing albums for years, including his most recent release, 2014's "No Plan B." In 2018, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
