ATTITUDE
IS EVERYTHING:
By Francie Baltazar-Schwartz
Submitted By: Gene Richards at
http://www.seekGODfirst.org/
Jerry was the kind of guy you love
to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive
to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If
I were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant.
The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was
a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there
telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me
curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it!
You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake
up and say to myself, 'Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose
to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to
be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be
a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every
time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining
or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side
of life."
"Yeah, right, it's not that easy,"
I protested.
"Yes, it is," Jerry said. "Life
is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is
a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people
will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The
bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."
I reflected on what Jerry said.
Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business.
We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about
life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that
Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business:
he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three
armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness,
slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily,
Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks
of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments
of the bullets still in his body.
I saw Jerry about six months after
the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better,
I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"
I declined to see his wounds, but
did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The
first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the
back door," Jerry replied.
"Then, as I lay on the floor, I
remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose
to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose
consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They
kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the
emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and
nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.'
"I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big, burly nurse
shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to
anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they
waited for my reply. I took a deep breathe and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over
their laughter, I told them. 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if
I am alive, not dead."
Jerry lived thanks to the skill
of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from
him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all,
is everything. TOP
INDEX
QUALIFIED
SERVANTS OF GOD:
Submitted By: AngelDr
There are many reasons why God shouldn't
have called you. But don't worry. You're in good company.
Moses stuttered. David's armor didn't
fit. John/Mark was rejected by Paul. Timothy had ulcers. Hosea's
wife was a prostitute. Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree
pruning.
Jacob was a liar. David had an affair.
Solomon was too rich. Jesus was too poor. Abraham was too old.
David was too young. Peter was afraid of death. Lazarus was
dead. John was self-righteous. Naomi was a widow.
Paul was a murderer. So was Moses.
Jonah ran from God. Miriam was a gossip. Gideon and Thomas
both doubted. Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal. Elijah was
burned out.
John the Baptist was a loudmouth.
Martha was a worry-wart. Mary was lazy. Samson had long hair. Noah
got drunk. Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse? So did
Peter, Paul--well, lots of folks did.
But God doesn't require a job interview.
He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses, because He's more our Dad than
our Boss. He doesn't look at financial gain or loss. He's not
prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf
to our cry, not blind to our need.
As much as we try, God's gifts are
free. We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still
not be ...Wonderful. Satan says, "You're not worthy." Jesus
says, "So what? I AM." Satan looks back and sees our mistakes.
God looks back and sees the cross. He doesn't calculate what you
did in '78. It's not even on the record.
Sure. There are lots of reasons
why God shouldn't have called us. But if we are magically in love with
Him, if we hunger for Him more than our next breath, He'll use us in spite
of who we are, where we've been, or what we look like. I pray that
as Christians, we will step out of our limitations into the illimitable
nature of who God is. Then our passion for God and our passion to
communicate Him will make mince-meat of our limitations.
TOP INDEX
GOD IS
LIKE ....
-
God is like Coca-Cola - He's
the real thing.
-
God is like General Electric - He
lights your path
-
God is like Bayer Aspirin -
He works wonders.
-
God is like Hallmark Cards - He
cared enough to send the very best
-
God is like Tide - He gets
out stains that others won't
-
God is like VO-5 Hair Spray - He
holds thru all kinds of weatherleave behind.
-
God is like Dial Soap - Aren't you
glad you know Him?
-
God is like Sears - He has everything
Don't you wish everyone did?
-
God is like Alka Seltzer - Oh, what
a relief He is!
-
God is like Scotch Tape - You can't
see Him but you know He's there!
-
God is like American Express Card
Don't leave home without Him! TOP
INDEX
IF:
Submitted By: AngelDr
If my days were untroubled and my
heart always light, Would I seek that fair land where there is no night?
If I never grew weary with the weight
of my load, Would I search for God's peace at the end of the road?
If I never knew sickness and never
felt pain, Would I search for a hand to help and sustain?
If I walked without sorrow and lived
without loss, Would my soul seek solace at the foot of the cross?
If all I desired was mine day by
day, Would I kneel before God and earnestly pray?
If God sent no winter to freeze
me with fear, Would I yearn for the warmth of spring every year?
I ask myself these and the answer
is plain, If my life were pleasure and I never knew pain-
I'd seek God less often and need
Him much less, For God is sought more often in times of distress.
Author Unknown TOP
INDEX
GOD'S
CARE FOR US!:
BY: Ken Gaub
Submitted By: AngelDr grichard@cyberramp.net
Do you believe that God not only loves
you, but knows where you are and what you're doing every minute of the
day? I certainly do after an amazing experience I had several years
ago. At the time I was driving on 1-75 near Dayton, Ohio, with my wife
and children. We turned off the highway for a rest and refreshment stop.
My wife Barbara and children went into the restaurant. I suddenly felt
the need to stretch my legs, so waved them off ahead saying I'd join them
later. I bought a soft drink, and as I walked toward a dairy Queen, feelings
of self pity enshrouded my mind. I loved the Lord and my ministry, but
I felt drained, burdened. My cup was empty.
Suddenly the impatient ringing of
a telephone nearby jarred me out of my doldrums. It was coming from a phone
booth at a service station on the corner. Wasn't anyone going to answer
the phone?
Noise form the traffic flowing through
the busy intersection must have drowned out the sound because the service
station attendant continued looking after his customers, oblivious to the
incessant ringing.
"Why doesn't somebody answer that
phone?" I muttered. I began reasoning. It may be important. What if it's
an emergency? Curiosity overcame my indifference. I stepped inside the
booth and picked up the phone. "Hello," I said casually and took a big
sip of my drink. The operator said:" Long distance call for Ken Gaub."
My eyes widened, and I almost choked on a chunk of ice. Swallowing hard,
I said, "You're crazy!" Then realizing I shouldn't speak to an operator
like that, I added, "This can't be! I was walking down the road, not bothering
anyone, and the phone was ringing..."
"Is Ken Gaub there?" the operator
interrupted, "I have a long distance call for him."
It took a moment to gain control
of my babbling, but I finally replied, "Yes, he is here." Searching for
a possible explanation, I wondered if I could possibly be on Candid Camera!
Still shaken, perplexed, I asked, "How in the world did you reach me here?
I was walking down the road, the pay phone started ringing, and I just
answered it on change. You can't mean me."
"Well," the operator asked, "is
Mr Gaub there or isn't he?" "Yes, I am Ken Gaub," I said, finally
convinced by the tone of her voice that the call was real.
Then I heard another voice say,
"Yes, that's him, operator. That's Ken Gaub." I listened dumbfounded
to a strange voice identify herself. "I'm Millie from Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. You don't know me, Mr Gaub, but I'm desperate. Please help
me."
"What can I do for you?"
She began weeping. Finally she regained
control and continued. "I was about to commit suicide, had just finished
writing a note, when I began to pray and tell God I really didn't
want to do this. Then I suddenly remembered seeing you on television and
thought if I could just talk to you, you could help me. I knew that was
impossible because I didn't know how to reach you, I didn't know anyone
who could help me find you. Then some numbers came to my mind, and I scribbled
them down."
At this point she began weeping
again, and I prayed silently for wisdom to help her. She continued, "I
looked at the numbers and thought, Wouldn't it be wonderful if I had a
miracle from God, and He has given me Ken's phone number? I decided to
try calling it. I can't believe I 'm talking to you. Are you in your office
in California?" I replied, "Lady, I don't have an office in California.
My office is in Yakima, Washington." A little surprised, she asked, "Oh
really, then where are you?" "Don't you know?" I responded. "You made the
call."
She explained, "But I don't even
know what area I'm calling. I just dialed the number that I had on this
paper."
"Mam'am, you won't believe this,
but I'm in a phone booth in Daton Ohio!" "Really?" she exclaimed. "Well,
what are you doing there?" I kidded her gently, "Well, I'm answering the
phone. It was ringing as I walked by, so I answered it." Knowing this encounter
could only have been arranged by God, I began to counsel the woman. As
she told me of her despair and frustration, the presence of the Holy Spirit
flooded the phone booth giving me words of wisdom beyond my ability. In
a matter of moments, she prayed the sinner's prayer and met the One who
would lead her out of her situation into a new life.
I walked away form that telephone
booth with an electrifying sense of our heavenly Father's concern for each
of His children. What were the astronomical odds of this happening.
With all the millions of phones and innumerable combinations of numbers,
only an all-knowing God could have caused that woman to call that number
in that phone booth at that moment in time. Forgetting my drink and nearly
bursting with exhilaration, I headed back to my family, wondering if they
would believe my story. Maybe I better not tell this I thought, but I couldn't
contain it. "Barb, you won't believe this! God knows where I am!"
God also knows where you are. Place
yourself in His hands, concentrate on knowing His will for your life, and
He will never forsake or forget you. TOP
INDEX
ARE
YOU MY FRIEND?:
Submitted By: Gene Richards at
http://www.seekGODfirst.org/
My friend I stand in judgment now,
and feel that you're to blame somehow. On earth I walked with you day by
day, and never did you point the way. You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
but never did you tell the story. My knowledge then was very dim, you could
have led me safe to Him. So as we lived on this earth, you never told me
of this "second birth." And now I stand this day condemned, because you
failed to mention Him. We walked by day and talked by night, and yet you
showed me not the light. You let me live and love and die, you knew I'd
never live on high! Yes, I called you my friend for life, and trusted you
in joy and strife. And yet in coming to the end, I cannot call you now
my friend. TOP
INDEX
THE ROOM:
In that place between wakefulness
and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features
save for one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the
ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical
order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly
endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near
the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "People
I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly
shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each
one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless
room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here
were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail
my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with
horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring
their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame
and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone
was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I
Have Betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird.
"Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comforts I Have Given," "Jokes
I Have Laughed At." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things
I Have Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have
Done in My Anger," "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents."
I never cease to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more
cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed
by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that
I had the time in my short life to write each of these thousands or millions
of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own
handwriting. Each signed with my own signature. When I came to the file
marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled
the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and draw out a
card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such
a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought
dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see
this room! I have to destroy them! In an insane frenzy I yanked the files
out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards.
But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could
not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only
to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly
helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against
the wall, I let out a long self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title
bore "People I Have Shared The Gospel With." The handle was brighter than
those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled its handle and a small
box not more than 3 inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards
it contained on one hand. And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs
so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell
to my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame
of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear filled eyes. No
one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not
here, oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the
files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And In
the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw sorrow deeper
than my own. He seemed intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have
to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room.
He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't
anger me.. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to
cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said
so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me. Then He
got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the
room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine
on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was
"no, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these
cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The
name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took
the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't
think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant
it seemed like I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.
He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood
up. and He led me out of the room. TOP
INDEX
NOBODY'S
FRIEND:
Submitted By: Gene Richards at
http://www.seekGODfirst.org/
My name is gossip. I have no respect
for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am
cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted
the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims
are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have
no name and no face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try,
the more elusive I become. I am nobody's friend. Once I tarnish a reputation,
it is never the same. I topple governments and wreck marriages. I ruin
careers and cause sleepless nights, heartache and indigestion. I spawn
suspicion and generate grief. I make innocent people cry in their pillows.
Even my name hisses. I am called Gossip. Office gossip. Shop gossip. Party
gossip. Telephone gossip. I make headlines and headaches. Before you repeat
a story ask yourself, is it true? Is it fair? Is it necessary? If not...SHUT
UP. If you spend as much time praying as you do talking about others behind
their backs, you would be further ahead Spiritually. Exodus 20:16. Leviticus
19:16. Proverbs 11:13, 16:28, 18:8, 19:5, 20:19, 5:18,23. Psalms 34:13,
52:2, 101:5, 141:3. Matthew 12:37. Ephesians 4:29. 1 Timothy 5:13. 1 Peter
4:15. James 1:19 Romans 10:9 G.R. TOP
INDEX
The
"Chain Of Love". Way To Go Joe
Submitted From Angels Online
He was driving home one evening,
on a two-lane country road. Work, in this small mid-western community,
was almost as slow as his beat-up Pontiac. But he never quit looking.
Ever since the Levis factory closed, he'd been unemployed, and with winter
raging on, the chill had finally hit home.
It was a lonely road. Not
very many people had a reason to be on it, unless they were leaving. Most
of his friends had already left. They had families to feed and dreams to
fulfill. But he stayed on. After all, this was where he buried his
mother and father. He was born here and knew the country.
He could go down this road blind,
and tell you what was on either side, and with his headlights not working,
that came in handy. It was starting to get dark and light snow flurries
were coming down. He'd better get a move on.
You know, he almost didn't see the
old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of
day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes
and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
Even with the smile on his face,
she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was
he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe, he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold.
He knew how she felt. It was that chill that only fear can put in
you. He said, "I'm here to help you m'am. Why don't you wait in the
car where it's warm. By the way, my name is Joe."
Well, all she had was a flat tire,
but for an old lady, that was bad enough Joe crawled under the car looking
for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two.
Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and
his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down her
window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St.
Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough
for coming to her aid. Joe just smiled as he closed her trunk.
She asked him how much she owed
him. Any amount would have been alright with her. She had already imagined
all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Joe never
thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him. This was
helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given
him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never
occurred to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted
to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could
give that person the assistance that they needed, and Joe added"...and
think of me".
He waited until she started her
car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good
as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down
the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat,
and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It
was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole
scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the telephone of
an out of work actor, it didn't ring much.
Her waitress came over and brought
a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even
being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed
that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the
strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone
who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she
remembered Joe.
After the lady finished her meal,
and the waitress went to get her change from a hundred dollar bill, the
lady slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress
came back. She wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something
written on a napkin. There were tears in her eyes, when she read
what the lady wrote. It said, "You don't owe me a thing, I've been
there too. Someone once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If
you really want to pay me back, here's what you do. Don't let the
CHAIN OF LOVE end with you."
Well, there were tables to clear,
sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through
another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into
bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How
could she have known how much she and her husband needed it? With
the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried
her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft
kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be alright, I love
you Joe." TOP
INDEX
So
how do you explain God?
by Danny Dutton
Submitted From Angels Online
Kids have a great way with words.
Written by Danny Dutton, age 8, from Chula Vista, California, for his third
grade homework assignment to "Explain God".
"One of God's main jobs is making
people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will
be enough people to take care of things here on earth.
He doesn't make grown-ups, just
babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make.
That way, He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to
talk and walk, He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.
God's second most important job
is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some
people, like preachers and things, pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn't
have time to listen to the radio or TV on account of this.
Since He hears everything, not only
prayers, there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has
thought of a way to turn it off. God sees everything and hears everything
and is everywhere, which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't
go wasting His time by going over your parent's head asking for something
they said you couldn't have.
Atheists are people who don't believe
in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista. At least
there aren't any who come to our church.
Jesus is God's Son. He used
to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and
trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They
finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him.
But He was good and kind like His Father and He told His Father that they
didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK.
His Dad (God) appreciated everything
that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't
have to go out on the road anymore, He could stay in heaven. So He
did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing
things which are important for God to take care of and which ones
He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary,
only more important, of course. You can pray anytime
you want and they are sure to hear you because they got it worked out so
one of them is on duty all the time.
You should always go to Church on
Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make
happy, it's God. Don't skip church to do something you think will
be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong! And, besides,
the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.
If you don't believe in God, besides
being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go
everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know
He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim very
good and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.
But you shouldn't just always think
of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take
me back anytime He pleases. And that's why I believe in God."
TOP INDEX
The
Garden
Submitted From Angels Online
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If your garden isn't where you
want it to be, then here are a few tips for getting
the most out of the soil which
is yours to till.
FIVE ROWS OF "P"EAS:
Preparedness
Promptness
Perseverance
Politeness
Prayer.
THREE ROWS OF SQUASH:
Squash gossip
Squash criticism
Squash indifference
FIVE ROWS OF LETTUCE:
Let us love one another
Let us be faithful
Let us be loyal
Let us be unselfish
Let us be truthful
THREE ROWS OF TURNIPS:
Turn up for church
Turn up with a new idea
Turn up with the determination
to do a better job than you did today.
Author unknown
(Editorial Note: If this
doesn't get rid of all your weeds, repeat Steps 1-4 as many
times as necessary. If this
process produced the results you were looking for,
keep repeating steps 1-4 so those
weeds don't come back.) TOP
INDEX
The
ABC's of Friendship:
Submitted From Angels Online
(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust to "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever Judges
(O)ffers support
(P)icks you up when you're down
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plains things you don't understand
(Y)ells when you won't listen and
(Z)aps you back to reality when your out on a limb.
TOP
INDEX
Pearly
Gates:
From Angles Online
A man dies and goes to heaven. Of
course, St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, "Here's
how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all
the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points
for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points,
you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married
to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."
"That's wonderful," says St. Peter,
"that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well,
I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe
and service."
"Terrific!" says St. Peter, "that's
certainly worth a point."
"One point? Golly. How about this:
I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless
veterans."
"Fantastic, that's good for two
more points," he says.
"TWO POINTS!!" the man cries, "At
this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!"
"Come on in!"
TOP INDEX
SPIRIT
WARE:
From Angels Online
Between moments of dispensing wisdom,
it seems that historical religious leaders had also learned software programming.
One day, a great contest was held to test their skills. After days and
days of fierce competitions, only two leaders remained for the last day's
event: Jesus and Mohammed. The judge described the software application
required for the final test, and gave the signal to start writing code.
The two contestants feverishly typed
away on their keyboards. Routines, classes, applets and applications flew
by on their screens at incredible speeds. Windows, dialogs, and other intricate
graphics began forming on their monitors. The clock showed that the contest
would soon be finished. Suddenly, a bolt of lightening flashed and the
power went out.
After a moment it came back on -
just in time for the clock to announce that the last competition was over.
The judge asked the two contestants to reveal their finished software.
Mohammed angrily said that he'd lost it all in the power outage.
The judge turned to the other competitor.
Jesus smiled, clicke` a mouse and a dazzling application appeared on his
screen. After just a few moments, the judge was clearly impressed and declared
Jesus the victor. When asked why the decision was made, the judge
pointed out the unique characteristic that set the winner apart from all
the other leaders: . . . .JESUS SAVES.
TOP INDEX
Unbroken
Chalk:
Dan Carpenter wrote:
Submitted by Gene Richards (SeekGodFirst)
This is a true story of something
that happened just a few years ago at USC. There was a professor
of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary
goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting
to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid
to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years,
he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against
him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever
'really gone against him' (you'll see what I mean later).
Nobody would go against him because
he had a reputation. At the end of very semester, on the last day,
he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there anyone here who still
believes in Jesus, stand up!"
In twenty years, no one had ever
stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would
say, "because anyone who does believe in God is a fool. If God existed,
he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking.
Such a simple task to prove that he is God, and yet he can't do it."
And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom
and it would shatter into a hundred pieces.
All of the students could do nothing
but stop and stare. Most of the students were convinced that God
couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through,
but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up.
Well, a few years ago, there was
a freshman who happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian,
and had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the
class because it was one of the required classes for his major. and he
was afraid. But for 3 months that semester, he prayed every morning
that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor
said or what the class thought.
Nothing they said or did could ever
shatter his faith, he hoped.
Finally the day came. The
professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand
up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked,
as he stood up at the back of the classroom.
The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!
If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when
it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did,
it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his
pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply
rolled away, unbroken.
The professor's jaw dropped as he
stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man and then ran out
of the lecture hall.
The young man who had stood up proceeded
to walk to the front of the room and share his faith in Jesus for the next
half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's
love for them and of his power through Jesus. "Yet to all who received
HIM, to those who believed in HIS name, HE gave the right to become children
of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a
husband's will, but born of GOD."
"But HE knows the way that I take.
When HE has tested me, I will come forth as gold."
Job 23:10
You have one of 2 choices...
1) delete this and never look at
it again
2) pass this along to your Christian
and non-Christians friends and let them have encouragement we all need
every day. TOP INDEX
I
supposed I knew my Bible:
Taken From: Dispensations and Ages
by: Life Enhancements Online Series:
I supposed I knew my Bible,
Reading a piecemeal, hit and miss,
Now a bit of John or Matthew,
Now a snatch of Genesis,
Certain chapters of Isaiah,
Certain Psalms (the twenty-third),
Twelfth of Romans, First of Proverbs—
Yes, I thought I knew the Word!
But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do,
And the way was unfamiliar
When I read the Bible through.
You who like to play at Bible,
Dip and dabble, here and there,
Just before you kneel, aweary,
And yawn through hurried prayer;
You who treat the Crown of Writings,
As you treat no other book—
Just a paragraph disjointed,
Just a crude impatient look—
Try a worthier procedure,
Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in very rapture
When you read the Bible through!
— Amos R Wells
The Bible itself gives the instructions
on how to study. 2 Tim. 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness: (KJV)
2Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (KJV)
You see, all the Bible is for us, when it is rightly divided. The
opposite of right division is wrong division. So we must conclude that
care should be taken when studying the Word of God.
TOP INDEX
Priceless
Gift:
Friendship is a PRICELESS GIFT
that cannot be bought or sold,
But its value is far greater
than a mountain made of GOLD.
For gold is cold and lifeless,
it can neither see nor hear
AND in the time of trouble
it is powerless to cheer--
it has no ears to listen
Nor heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort
or reach out a helping hand
So when you ask
GOD FOR A GIFT
Be thankful if HE sends
NOT DIAMONDS, PEARLS OR RICHES
BUT THE LOVE OF REAL TRUE FRIENDS.
- Author unknown -
TOP
INDEX
JOSHUA,
HEZEKIAH, AND THE SCIENTISTS
From: "Angels Online humor"
Mr. Harold Hill, President of the
Curtis Engine Co. in Baltimore and a consultant to the space program, has
told a most remarkable story which found its way into a few newspapers
- and eventually into the evening newscast of Bob Gooding, WFAA T.V. Dallas.
Here it is as related by Mr. Gooding:
Mr. Hill stated that he thought
one of the most amazing things that God has for us today happened to our
astronauts and the space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland. They
were trying to determine the position of the Sun, Moon, and Planets 100
years and 1000 years from now. In order to do this, they had to plot
the orbits through the past centuries.
They ran the computer measurements
back and forth over the centuries and suddenly it came to a halt. The computer
signaled that there was something wrong either with the information fed
into it or with the results compared to the standards. They called
in the service department to check it out and found nothing wrong technically.
The computer still came up with the same discrepancy -- a day was missing
in space elapsed time. The scientists were dumbfounded. There
was no answer.
One of the team remembered a reference
to the Sun standing still in the Bible. Upon checking, they found
in the book of Joshua a pretty "ridiculous" statement for anybody who has
"common sense". According to the scriptures, Joshua was concerned because
he was surrounded by the enemy: and if darkness fell they would overpower
him; so Joshua asked the Lord to make the Sun stand still. "So the
sun stood still in the heavens, and hastened not to go down about a whole
day." (Joshua 10:13.) There was the missing day!
They checked the computers going
back to the time it was written and found it was close enough. The elapsed
time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes,
not a whole day. They again read the passage and there it said, "ABOUT
(approximately) a whole day." Apparently, those little words in the Bible
mean something. This still did not account for the other missing
40 minutes. The 40 minutes had to be found, because, in projecting
special orbits, it would be multiplied many times over.
Again remembering his Bible, the
same man recalled how somewhere in the Bible it said that the Sun went
backwards. 2 Kings, Chapter 20, Hezekiah, on his deathbed was visited
by the prophet Isaiah, who told him that he was not going to die.
Hezekiah did not believe him and asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah
said, "...shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees".
Hezekiah replied, "It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees;
nay but let the shadow return backwards ten degrees." (2 Kings 20:9-10)
Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!
Twenty three hours and twenty minutes
in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in 2 Kings make the missing 24 hours the space
travelers had to log in the logbook as being the missing day, AND THEY
SAY THE BIBLE IS OUT OF DATE!!!
Note: I have had a
report that this particular article is not true in statement. At this point
I have not been able to substantiate it either way. If
you have further knowledge and proof one way or the other please let me
know!
Sincerely Mark K. Doty
(webmaster)
TOP INDEX
The
Master's Hand:
From: "Angels Online humor"
Wishing to encourage her young son's
progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert.
After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and
walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore
the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored
his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the house lights
dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat
and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and
spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror,
the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking
out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano
master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in
he boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached
down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right
arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running
obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a
frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The
audience was mesmerized.
That's the way it is with our Heavenly
Father. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy.
We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful, flowing music.
But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.
Next time you set out to accomplish
great feats, listen carefully.
You can hear the voice of the Master,
whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His
loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping
you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.
Remember, God doesn't call the equipped,
He equips the called. And He'll always be there to love and guide
you on to great things. TOP
INDEX
The
Lord's Prayer (a different look)
Author Of this Work is: Pastor Clyde Lee Herring ©Clyde
Lee Herring, 2938 East 84th St., Tulsa, OK 74137. For Script Adaptation
of this work which is available for a small performance royalty. Video
and audio tapes of the work are also available. Contact: Tom Long, Friends
of the Groom Theater Company, 909 Center St., Milford, Ohio 45150. (513)
831-2859. fogmail@aol.com, website--
http://www.friendsofthegroom.org
Submitted From: Gene Richards
A different look at The Lord's Prayer:
Person: "Our Father which art in
heaven....."
GOD: Yes?
Person: Don't interrupt me. I'm
praying.
GOD: But you called me.
Person: Called you? I didn't call
you. I'm praying. "Our Father which art in heaven....."
GOD: There you did it again.
Person: Did What?
GOD: Called me. You said, "Our
Father which art in heaven." Here I am.....What's on your mind?
Person: But I didn't mean anything
by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say
the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done.
GOD: All right. Go on.
Person: "Hallowed be thy name....."
GOD: Hold it. What do you mean
by that?
Person: By what?
GOD: By "hallowed be thy name"?
Person: It means.....it means.....Good
grief, I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's just a part
of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
GOD: It means honored, holy, wonderful.
Person: Hey, that makes sense. I
never thought about what "hallowed" meant before. "Thy kingdom come, thy
will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
GOD: Do you really mean that?
Person: Sure, why not?
GOD: What are you doing about it?
Person: Doing? Nothing, I guess.
I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything
down here like you have up there.
GOD: Have I got control of you?
Person: Well, I go to church.
GOD: That isn't what I asked you.
What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know.
And then there's the way you spend your money---all on yourself. And what
about the kind of books you read?
Person: Stop picking on me! I'm
just as good as some of the rest of those people at the church.
GOD: Excuse me. I thought you were
praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start
with the ones who are praying for it. Like you, for example.
Person: Oh, all right. I guess I
do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some
others.
GOD: So could I.
Person: I haven't thought about
it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those
things. I would like to, you know, be really free.
GOD: Good. Now we're getting somewhere.
We'll work together, you and I. Some victories can truly be won. I'm proud
of you.
Person: Look, Lord, I need to finish
up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. "Give us this
day, our daily bread."
GOD: You need to cut out the bread.
You're overweight as it is.
Person: Hey, wait a minute! What
is this, "Criticize me day"? Here I was doing my religious duty,
and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.
GOD: Praying is a dangerous thing.
You could wind up changed, you know. That's what I'm trying to get across
to you. You called me, and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep praying,
I'm interested in the next part of your prayer.....(pause). Well, go on.
Person: I'm scared to.
GOD: Scared? Of what? I know what
you'll say. Try me and see.
Person: "Forgive us our sins, as
we forgive those who sin against us."
GOD: What about Ann?
Person: See? I knew it! I knew you
would bring her up! Why Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories
about my family. She never paid back the debt she owes me. I've sworn to
get even with her!
GOD: But your prayer? What about
your prayer?
Person: I didn't mean it.
GOD: Well, at least you're honest.
But it's not much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside, is
it?
Person: No. But I'll feel better
as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She'll
wish she had never moved into this neighborhood.
GOD: You won't feel any better.
You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. Think of how unhappy you already
are. But I can change all that.
Person: You can? How?
GOD: Forgive Ann. Then I'll forgive
you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann's problem and not yours. You will
have settled your heart.
Person: Oh, you're right. You always
are. And more than I want to revenge Ann, I want to be right with you.
Ann, I want to be right with you.....(pause).....(sigh). All right. All
right. I forgive her. Help her to find the right road in life, Lord.
She's bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody
who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it.
Someway, somehow, show her the right way.
GOD: There now! Wonderful! How
do you feel?
Person: Hmmmmmm. Well, not bad.
Not bad at all. In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll
have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember.
Maybe I won't be so tired from now on because I'm not getting enough rest.
GOD: You're not through with your
prayer. Go on.
Person: Oh, all right. "And lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
GOD: Good! Good! I'll do that.
Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.
Person: What do you mean by that?
GOD: Don't turn on the TV when
you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked
up. Also, about the time you spend coffeeing with your friends, if you
can't influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should
re-think the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors
and friends shouldn't be your standard for "keeping up". And please don't
use me for an escape hatch.
Person: I don't understand the last
part.
GOD: Sure you do. You've done it
a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get into trouble
and then you come running to me, "Lord, help me out of this mess, and I
promise you I'll never do it again." You remember some of those bargains
you tried to make with me?
Person: Yes and I'm ashamed, Lord.
I really am.
GOD: Which bargain are you remembering?
Person: Well, there was the night
that Bill was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was
blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings
were out. I remember praying, "Oh God, if you spare us, I'll never skip
my devotions again."
GOD: I protected you, but you didn't
keep your promise, did you?
Person: I'm sorry, Lord, I really
am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every
day, then I could do what I liked. I didn't expect anything to happen like
it did.
GOD: Go ahead and finish your prayer.
Person: "For Thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory forever." Amen
GOD: Do you know what would bring
me glory? What would really make me happy?
Person: No, but I'd like to know.
I want now to please you. I can see what a mess I've made of my life. And
I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers.
GOD: You just answered the question.
Person: I did?
GOD: Yes. The thing that would
bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that
happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out
of the way, well, there is no telling what we can do together.
Person: Lord, let's see what we
can make of me, O.K.?
GOD: Yes, let's see.....
TOP INDEX
Splinters
From The Cross:
by Mary Lawrence Comm
What do you do when there's intense,
persistent emotional pain in your life, but you don't know who or what
has caused it? In my case, I had many of the symptoms of child abuse, but
no memories to support them. I didn't know what happened to me as a child
to bring about the recurrent fears, anxiety and relentless emotional distress
all I knew was that whatever it was, it wasn't going away. Searching through
my past, I prayed that God would reveal all to me who, what, when, where
and why as He saw fit. I believed my part toward that end was to remain
open to receive whatever He might tell me. What happened was I opened the
door to more emotional pain but without any answers only more questions.
Following is an allegory describing what finally brought me to a point
of healing and a place of peace in my life. After years of searching for
the answers, this is what I found. There I sat once again, trying to sort
out the truth. That nagging feeling had been chewing away at me, little
by little, piece by piece, until nothing was left but raw, irritated nerves.
As always, I cried out to my Savior,
my Lord, my God, tired, with desperation in my voice: "Jesus, I can't take
this lonely road again. I've walked it so many times before yet it leads
me nowhere." I swallowed the words but the thoughts numbed my brain
as they drudged on unharnessed, nowhere but to the end of my emotions-to
the void; that immense gulf of painfully cold blackness.
"Mary," He called softly.
"Yes, Lord?"
"How is it that you still don't
trust Me?" His voice was warm and deep. "Lift your eyes to Mine." And with
that He gently placed His hand beneath my chin and brought my face opposite
His. Looking into His eyes I saw something I'd never seen before. There,
a single tear swelled and spilled over His dark lashes and down His smooth
olive skin. First one, then another. His heart was breaking for me. I lifted
my hand to wipe the tears from His cheek, pausing to caress the precious
face of my Jesus.
Then He took my hand gently into
His own. I winced as my fingers touched the scar. He cupped His other hand
over mine and with a pat of reassurance, in that same soothing voice, said,
"Follow Me. There is nothing to fear." With that He let go of my hand and
turned and walked away.
There before Him I saw that road
just as I'd always seen it before. But this time, Jesus walked ahead of
me. I knew I had to follow. The road was long and winding. It was narrow
and rocky. The incline was sharp and steady. My feet were heavy and each
step became harder to take. I slowed to a crawl, but Jesus kept His pace
and soon was far ahead of me, out of sight.
It seemed as though hours had passed
as I neared the end of the road. But my heart was full of anticipation.
I knew my Lord would be waiting for me, arms opened wide, just around the
next corner. I wouldn't have to face the void alone this time. Filthy,
exhausted and out of breath I finally reached the end. As I rounded the
last corner I couldn't believe my eyes. Shocked and horrified a cry of
agony filled my lungs as I fell to my knees.
"Nooooooooooooooo!"
There before me hung my precious
Jesus, once again nailed upon the tree. His skin hung in ribbons. Blood
flowed freely down that smooth olive face as the thorns dug deep into His
skull. There at the foot of the cross I wept, and once again I looked into
His face.
"Why?" I asked Him pleadingly. "Why
did You do this for me?"
He pushed Himself up on the nail
in His feet and gasped a reply I didn't expect. "The question, My child,
is not why?, but what now? What will you do with Me now?"
"I don't know what You mean," I
sobbed. "What choices do I have?" Then there appeared next to me a large
bucket, filled with a lifetime of atrocities. The stench was sickening,
more hideous than anything I'd ever experienced before. It was all I could
do not to wretch at the sight of it.
I looked again to the mutilated
figure on the cross and, shaking my head, I pleaded, "I just don't understand."
Again He put all His weight on His
feet and spoke in painful gasps. "Throw it on Me."
"No!" I screamed. "I can't! I don't
understand, my Lord, please help me understand!" I continued frantically.
"You've already taken my sins, why must You do it again?"
"These aren't your sins, My child,
but the sins of the one you seek."
"You mean, the one who hurt me,"
I said quietly. It was more of a statement than a question.
"But You've already taken his sins
too; why must You do this again?"
"My precious child," He spoke lovingly.
"Each time you seek him out you drive the nails into Me all over again.
Until you let go of the past, until you forgive him, I will hang here suspended
in agony."
With that I grabbed the bucket and
flung it as hard as I could away from my Savior into the void beyond the
cross. Then I threw myself at the foot of that tree. There I clung with
all my might, sobbing uncontrollably. "I forgive him," I cried. "I forgive
him."
An angel came at that moment and
released my sweet Jesus and the two of them soon disappeared from view.
I released my painful grip of the
cross and pulled myself to my feet. I looked at my own hands and
forearms, and again I gazed in astonishment. There, deeply embedded in
my hands and arms, were splinters from the cross. As I pulled each
of the shards from my own soft white flesh, the wounds immediately began
to heal.
Then, in a moment, the blackness
of the void was overtaken by the glorious light of the Son of God. I was
free.
Beloved Scripture: (All references
NIV) Matt
6:14-15 (14) For if you forgive men when they sin against you,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if you do not forgive
men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matt
18:21-22 (21) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how
many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven
times?" (22) Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven
times."
John
20:23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do
not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
2
Cor 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him.
Col
3:13-14 (13) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you
may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (14) And
over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect
unity. TOP
INDEX
Love Story
From: Gene Richards
One day, I woke early in the morning
to watch the sunrise. Ah the beauty of God's creation is beyond description.
As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt
the Lord's presence with me.
He asked me, "Do you love me?"
I answered, Of course, God! You
are my Lord and Saviour!"
Then He asked, "If you were physically
handicapped, would you still love me?"
I was perplexed. I looked down upon
my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't
be able to do, the things that I took for granted. And I answered, "It
would be tough Lord, but I would still love You."
Then the Lord said, "If you were
blind, would you still love my creation?"
How could I love something without
being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world
and how many of them still loved God and His creation.
So I answered, "Its hard to think
of it, but I would still love you."
The Lord then asked me, "If you
were deaf, would you still listen to my word?"
How could I listen to anything being
deaf?
Then I understood. Listening
to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts.
I answered, "It would be tough,
but I would still listen to Your word."
The Lord then asked, "If you were
mute, would you still praise My Name?"
How could I praise without a voice?
Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul.
It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with
a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of
thanks.
So I answered, "Though I could not
physically sing, I would still praise Your Name.
And the Lord asked, "Do you really
love Me?"
With courage and a strong conviction,
I answered boldly, "Yes Lord! I love You because You are the one and true
God!" I thought I had answered well, but God asked,
"THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?"
I answered, "Because I am only human.
I am not perfect."
"THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU
STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY IN EARNEST?"
No answers. Only tears.
The Lord continued: "Why only sing
at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why
ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?"
The tears continued to roll down
my cheeks.
"Why are you ashamed of Me? Why
are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry
to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give
you opportunities to serve in My Name?"
I tried to answer, but there was
no answer to give.
"You are blessed with life. I made
you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve
Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but
you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed.
I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have
sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have
heard your prayers and I have answered them all."
"DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME ?"
I could not answer. How could I?
I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this?
When I my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, Please
forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child."
The Lord answered, " That is My
Grace, My child."
I asked, " Then why do you continue
to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"
The Lord answered, " Because you
are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry,
I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will
laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall,
I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with
you till the end of days, and I will love you forever."
Never had I cried so hard before.
How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done?
I asked Jesus, "How much do you
love me?" Jesus answered, "This much." as He stretched His arms and
died on the cross for me. (And you too!)
I then bowed down at the feet of
Christ, my Saviour. And for the first time, I truly prayed.
Author Unknown.
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AWESOME
FOOD!! Directions to Heaven
From: Gene Richards
1. First of all, WHOSOEVER will,
must make a U-turn on the "Road of Repentance."
2. Then make a Right onto "Believeth
Blvd."
3. Keep Straight and go through
the Green Light which is Jesus Christ.
4. From there, you must turn onto
the "Bridge of Faith," which is over troubled water.
5. When you get off the bridge,
make a Right turn and Keep Straight. You are on the "King's Highway"
- Heaven-bound!
6. Keep going for three miles:
One for the Father, One for the Son, and One for the Holy Ghost.
7. Then exit off onto "Grace Blvd."
From there, make a Right turn on "Gospel Lane."
8. Keep Straight and then make
another RIGHT on "Prayer Blvd."
9. As you go on your way, yield
not to the traffic on "Temptation Ave." Also, avoid "SIN STREET" because
it is a DEAD END. Pass up "Envy Drive," and "Hate Avenue." Also, pass "Hypocrisy
Street," "Gossiping Lane." and "Backbiting Blvd." 10. But you have to go
down "Longsuffering Lane," "Persecution Blvd," and "Trials and Tribulations
Avenue."
11. From there, make another Right
onto "Peace Street." Keep Straight and you will come to the parking lot
of "Immortality." It's alright to park there.
12. Get out of the body and junk
it. Go into the building not made by hands. Sit down and talk to
KING JESUS. Tell Him all about your troubles and dwell in His House FOREVER!
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Teaching
illustration
This, you may find, is something
to ponder about how we look at circumstances; has some good illustration
implications, judging, jumping to conclusions, etc. Perhaps you can use
this as an opportunity to create interest. Add scriptures to meet
your class needs. It's different!!!!
This story happened in the days
of Lao Tzu in China
There was an old man in a village,
very poor, but even kings were jealous of him because he had a beautiful
white horse… Kings offered fabulous prices for the horse, but the old man
would say, "This horse is not a horse to me, he is a person. And
how can you sell a person a friend?" The man was poor, but he never
sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse
was not in the stable. The whole village gathered and they said, "You foolish
old man! We knew that someday the horse would be stolen. It would have
been better to sell it. What a misfortune!" The old man said, "Don't
go so far as to say that. Simply say that the horse is not in the stable.
This is the fact: everything else is a judgment. Whether it is a misfortune
or a blessing I don't know, because this is just a fragment. Who
knows what is going to follow it?"
People laughed at the old man.
They had always known that he was a little crazy. But after fifteen
days, suddenly one night the horse returned. He had not been stolen,
he had escaped into the wild. And not only that, he brought a dozen wild
horses with him.
Again the people gathered and they
said. "Old man, you were right. This was not a misfortune, it has
indeed proved to be a blessing."
The old man said, "Again you are
going too far. Just say that the horse is back…who knows whether it is
a blessing or not? It is only a fragment. You read a single
word in a sentence, how can you judge the whole book?"
This time the people could not say
much, but inside they knew that he was wrong. Twelve beautiful horses had
come…
The old man had an only son who
started to train the wild horses. Just a week later he fell from
horse and his legs were broken. The people gathered again and again
they judged. They said, "Again you proved right: It was a misfortune.
Your only son has lost the use of his legs, and in your old age he was
your only support. Now you are poorer than ever. The old man said,
"You are obsessed with judgment. Don't go that far. Say only that
my son has broken his legs. Nobody knows whether this is a misfortune or
a blessing. Life comes in fragments and more is never given to you."
It happened a few weeks later the
country went to war, and all the young men of the town were forcibly taken
for the military. Only the old man's son was left, because he was
crippled. The whole town was crying and weeping because it was a
losing fight and they knew most of the young people would never come back.
They came to the old man and they said, "You were right, old man, this
has proved a blessing. Maybe your son is crippled, but his is still
with you our sons are gone forever."
The old man said again, "You go
on and on judging. Nobody knows! Only say this, that your sons have
been forced to enter into the army and my son has not been forced.
But, only GOD, the creator, (I changed the word total to creator) knows
whether it is a blessing or a misfortune."
Judge ye not, otherwise you will
never become one with the creator. (Since this is a story from China, becoming
one with God is not a Christian position, but read on) With fragments you
will be obsessed, with small things you will jump to conclusions.
Once you judge you have stopped growing. Judgment means a stale state
of mind. And man always wants judgment, because to be in process
is always hazardous and uncomfortable.
In fact, the journey never ends.
One path ends, another begins; one door closes, another opens. You
reach a peak; a higher peak is always there. GOD is an endless journey.
Only those who are so courageous that they don't bother about the goal
but are content with the journey, content just to live the moment and grow
into it, only those able to walk with the creator. (I'm not
sure about the last sentence.. that's the way it came...it
seems incomplete)
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