If da head of de fish stinks, the whole fish stinks.
-Dominic Licciardello
This statement of my dad’s is a word of wisdom. It is a simple phrase, but has a lot of truth for us today – deliver us from evil!
If Jesus is not Lord of your whole being, then you are in trouble and will not have a powerful testimony. If you are not practicing what you preach in every area of your life, you will not be an effective witness.
When your lifestyle does not reflect the teachings of Christ, you will be seen as a phony.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
(Col. 3:16-17)
No matter what language you speak, your actions will always speak louder than your words.
You can preach Jesus to the world, but if His Word has not changed your thinking and your behavior, then you might as well save your breath.
God doesn’t want lip service; He wants heart service. If your head is full of things of the world, then your plans and schemes will reflect your faulty thinking.
Do not expect to reach the lost for Christ if you have “stinking thinking.”
You may think that others do not see the real you, but more often than not, you expose your true nature by your actions and words. The Word tells us in Luke 6:45 that what we are full of we will manifest. Sooner or later you will give yourself away.
You may know the “plan” of salvation, but do you reflect the character of the “Man” of salvation?
Examine your heart this week. Are you a phony, or are you a godly, living, breathing example of all that you say?
A true leader is a model for his followers.
-Myles Munroe
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.