- Anger is a condition in which the tongue, works faster than the mind.
- You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.
- Love... and you will be loved.
- All people smile in the same language.
- A hug is a great gift, one size fits all. It can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.
- Everyone needs to be loved, especially when they do not deserve it.
- The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.
- Laughter is liquid sunshine.
- Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.
- It's important for parents to live the same things they teach.
- If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.
- Happy memories never wear out. Relive them as often as you want.
- Home is the place where we grumble the most, but are often treated the best.
- The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow.
- Take time to laugh for it is the music of the soul.
- If anyone speaks badly of you, live so none will believe it.
- Patience is the ability to idle your motor, when you feel like stripping your gears.
- Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together.
- The best thing parents can do for their children, is to love each other.
- Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.
- To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it.
- We take for granted the things that we should be giving thanks for.
- Love is the only thing that can be divided, without being diminished.
- Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend upon others.
- You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.
- For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back.
- Do what you can, for whom you can, with what you have, and where you are.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Spare Thoughts
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Integrity
Tennis great Arthur Ashe related a defining incident that occurred when he was 17 years old in his autobiography Days of Grace. He was playing in a tournament in West Virginia. As was often the case, he was the only contestant of color in the tournament.
One night, some of the kids trashed a cabin. They absolutely destroyed it and then decided to say that Arthur was responsible. The incident was reported in the newspapers; Arthur denied his involvement, but the boys would not change their story. The worst part for Arthur was worrying about what his father would say and do. He eventually made the dreaded phone call.
As he surmised, his father had already learned of the vandalism. His father's tone was grim. He asked Arthur only one question. "Arthur Junior," he asked, "all I want to know is...were you mixed up in that mess?"
Arthur answered, "No, Daddy, I wasn't." His father never asked about it again. Arthur learned that day why he had always been encouraged to tell the truth. There would come a time when he must be believed, and this was such a time. Because he had already earned his trust and respect, he knew his father believed him. From that day on he was determined, above all else, to live a life of integrity
Unfortunately, we find notable examples of modern leaders in every field who give low priority to personal integrity. But we do not need saints - we need people like you. People who will be known for their integrity. People who will determine to be their best selves. People who daily earn the trust and respect of others, regardless of their age or station in life. People who insist on the importance of character.
Our world does not need another saint. But it needs you.
One night, some of the kids trashed a cabin. They absolutely destroyed it and then decided to say that Arthur was responsible. The incident was reported in the newspapers; Arthur denied his involvement, but the boys would not change their story. The worst part for Arthur was worrying about what his father would say and do. He eventually made the dreaded phone call.
As he surmised, his father had already learned of the vandalism. His father's tone was grim. He asked Arthur only one question. "Arthur Junior," he asked, "all I want to know is...were you mixed up in that mess?"
Arthur answered, "No, Daddy, I wasn't." His father never asked about it again. Arthur learned that day why he had always been encouraged to tell the truth. There would come a time when he must be believed, and this was such a time. Because he had already earned his trust and respect, he knew his father believed him. From that day on he was determined, above all else, to live a life of integrity
Unfortunately, we find notable examples of modern leaders in every field who give low priority to personal integrity. But we do not need saints - we need people like you. People who will be known for their integrity. People who will determine to be their best selves. People who daily earn the trust and respect of others, regardless of their age or station in life. People who insist on the importance of character.
Our world does not need another saint. But it needs you.
Friday, October 29, 2010
I Wanted To Breathe
The following story comes from "Chicken Soup for the Soul."
There once was an eager student who wanted to gain wisdom and insight. He went to the wisest of the town, Socrates, to seek his counsel. Socrates was an old soul and had great knowledge of many things. The boy asked the town sage how he too could acquire such mastery. Being a man of few words, Socrates chose not to speak, but to illustrate.
He took the child to the beach and, with all of his clothes still on, walked straight out into the water. He loved to do curious things like that, especially when he was trying to prove a point. The pupil gingerly followed his instruction and walked into the sea, joining Socrates where the water was just below their chins. Without saying a word, Socrates reached out and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. Looking deep into his student's eyes, Socrates pushed the student's head under the water with all his might.
A struggle ensued, and just before a life was taken away, Socrates released his captive. The boy raced to the surface and, gasping for air and choking from the salt water, looked around for Socrates in order to seek his retaliation on the sage. To the student's bewilderment, the old man was already patiently waiting on the beach. When the student arrived on the sand, he angrily shouted, "Why did you try to kill me?" The wise man calmly retorted with a question of his own: "Boy, when you were underneath the water, not sure if you would live to see another day, what did you want more than anything in the world?"
The student took a few moments to reflect, then went with his intuition. Softly he said, "I wanted to breathe." Socrates, now illuminated by his own huge smile, looked at the boy comfortingly and said, "Ah! When you want wisdom and insight as badly as you wanted to breathe, it is then that you shall have it."
Jesus wanted us to have "life, and to have it more abundantly." When we were unable to breathe because of the drowning effect of our sin, He rescued us even as He breathed His last. I hope that we want to breathe as much as He wanted to let us.
There once was an eager student who wanted to gain wisdom and insight. He went to the wisest of the town, Socrates, to seek his counsel. Socrates was an old soul and had great knowledge of many things. The boy asked the town sage how he too could acquire such mastery. Being a man of few words, Socrates chose not to speak, but to illustrate.
He took the child to the beach and, with all of his clothes still on, walked straight out into the water. He loved to do curious things like that, especially when he was trying to prove a point. The pupil gingerly followed his instruction and walked into the sea, joining Socrates where the water was just below their chins. Without saying a word, Socrates reached out and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. Looking deep into his student's eyes, Socrates pushed the student's head under the water with all his might.
A struggle ensued, and just before a life was taken away, Socrates released his captive. The boy raced to the surface and, gasping for air and choking from the salt water, looked around for Socrates in order to seek his retaliation on the sage. To the student's bewilderment, the old man was already patiently waiting on the beach. When the student arrived on the sand, he angrily shouted, "Why did you try to kill me?" The wise man calmly retorted with a question of his own: "Boy, when you were underneath the water, not sure if you would live to see another day, what did you want more than anything in the world?"
The student took a few moments to reflect, then went with his intuition. Softly he said, "I wanted to breathe." Socrates, now illuminated by his own huge smile, looked at the boy comfortingly and said, "Ah! When you want wisdom and insight as badly as you wanted to breathe, it is then that you shall have it."
Jesus wanted us to have "life, and to have it more abundantly." When we were unable to breathe because of the drowning effect of our sin, He rescued us even as He breathed His last. I hope that we want to breathe as much as He wanted to let us.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Road To Success
An airline passenger struck up a conversation with a stranger who was sniffling, apparently due to a recent head cold.
"Look at me!" the healthy one boasted. "Never a day's sickness in my life, and all due to simple food. Why, from the age of twenty to that of forty I lived an absolutely simple, regular life -- no pampering, no late hours, no extravagances. Every day, in fact, I was in bed regularly at nine o'clock and up again at five in the morning. I ate a plain meal at noon and, after that, exercised for an hour, then..."
"Excuse me," interrupted the sniffling stranger in the next seat, "but what were you in for?"
That regimented life does sound too much like a prison sentence. Some people can go overboard with a rigid routine. I once went on a near-starvation diet just to drop a few pounds. In two weeks I lost twelve pounds, but life sure was miserable.
Self discipline is important to happiness, but a rigid routine may not be the answer.
Mark Twain gave some advice about discipline. "Do one thing every day you don't want to do," he suggested. I think I can do that. One thing I've been putting off. One thing I always said I "ought" to do, but never made the effort.
I believe that doing something important that we don't want to do every day is a price we pay for success. Call it discipline. Call it duty. Call it paying your dues, for that may be what it really is.
And the other part is this: leave some time to do something you WANT to do, too. Paying your dues gets you where you want to go. Then having fun along the way makes the journey worthwhile.
For me, the "road to success" has been more like a toll road. If I pay that small, daily fee, I can go most anywhere I want. And when I leave enough time for fun, I enjoy the ride.
"Look at me!" the healthy one boasted. "Never a day's sickness in my life, and all due to simple food. Why, from the age of twenty to that of forty I lived an absolutely simple, regular life -- no pampering, no late hours, no extravagances. Every day, in fact, I was in bed regularly at nine o'clock and up again at five in the morning. I ate a plain meal at noon and, after that, exercised for an hour, then..."
"Excuse me," interrupted the sniffling stranger in the next seat, "but what were you in for?"
That regimented life does sound too much like a prison sentence. Some people can go overboard with a rigid routine. I once went on a near-starvation diet just to drop a few pounds. In two weeks I lost twelve pounds, but life sure was miserable.
Self discipline is important to happiness, but a rigid routine may not be the answer.
Mark Twain gave some advice about discipline. "Do one thing every day you don't want to do," he suggested. I think I can do that. One thing I've been putting off. One thing I always said I "ought" to do, but never made the effort.
I believe that doing something important that we don't want to do every day is a price we pay for success. Call it discipline. Call it duty. Call it paying your dues, for that may be what it really is.
And the other part is this: leave some time to do something you WANT to do, too. Paying your dues gets you where you want to go. Then having fun along the way makes the journey worthwhile.
For me, the "road to success" has been more like a toll road. If I pay that small, daily fee, I can go most anywhere I want. And when I leave enough time for fun, I enjoy the ride.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Why So Downcast
My eyes have never beheld what I believe I will one day possess.
My hands have never touched hands damaged in crucifixion, yet I believe I will one day touch them.
My feet have never touched pavement of gold, yet one day I fully expect to walk on such streets.
My mind has never understood the mysteries of God, yet there will come a day when it will all make sense.
So until then, I will rejoice in what I do not possess because I have something that will carry me in confidence until that moment arrives. What will carry me is the belief that the Father has fully paid my sin debt which gives me the freedom to love and follow where He leads.
I don’t need to see it or hold it in my hands to believe that it is real.
Some say seeing is believing - but for me it’s the opposite. Belief comes first, seeing will come soon enough. I am willing to wait.
I have been forgiven. I have been loved. I have chosen to love and forgive in return. My heart yearns for a day, a time, a moment. Yet in that special moment there will no longer be a need for time. I don’t have to understand it all to hunger for my first taste of eternity.
My life can be lived in no other way than to believe, for without this trust, this conviction, this joyous confidence - I would become a pitiful cynic. A man in desperate need for the one thing I have rejected; The one thing that provides a doorway to joy, peace and contentment, the one thing so closely linked to love and faith.
We have a future and a promise. God has a plan for our good. He’s preparing a place just for us. He’s promised to come back for us.
We, more than all others, have the greatest reason to bubble over with this most joyous anticipation.
It is because of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus’ that we have been given yet another wonderful gift from the hand of God Himself.
That gift is hope.
My hands have never touched hands damaged in crucifixion, yet I believe I will one day touch them.
My feet have never touched pavement of gold, yet one day I fully expect to walk on such streets.
My mind has never understood the mysteries of God, yet there will come a day when it will all make sense.
So until then, I will rejoice in what I do not possess because I have something that will carry me in confidence until that moment arrives. What will carry me is the belief that the Father has fully paid my sin debt which gives me the freedom to love and follow where He leads.
I don’t need to see it or hold it in my hands to believe that it is real.
Some say seeing is believing - but for me it’s the opposite. Belief comes first, seeing will come soon enough. I am willing to wait.
I have been forgiven. I have been loved. I have chosen to love and forgive in return. My heart yearns for a day, a time, a moment. Yet in that special moment there will no longer be a need for time. I don’t have to understand it all to hunger for my first taste of eternity.
My life can be lived in no other way than to believe, for without this trust, this conviction, this joyous confidence - I would become a pitiful cynic. A man in desperate need for the one thing I have rejected; The one thing that provides a doorway to joy, peace and contentment, the one thing so closely linked to love and faith.
We have a future and a promise. God has a plan for our good. He’s preparing a place just for us. He’s promised to come back for us.
We, more than all others, have the greatest reason to bubble over with this most joyous anticipation.
It is because of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus’ that we have been given yet another wonderful gift from the hand of God Himself.
That gift is hope.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
What In The World.....
I've only one life; it soon will be gone. What will remain of the things that I've done? Will I be remembered as someone who cared? Someone who sympathized? Someone who shared? Will the things that I did while on earth be worthwhile? Have I lightened a load? Gone the second mile? Did I put off my ambitions? Put them on hold? To help someone else in reaching their goal? If I can say YES to these things, and more, Then I'll not be ashamed when I reach Heaven's shore. I will hold my head high, when I'm called by my Lord To stand before God to receive my reward.
Have you ever gotten up in the morning and asked yourself the question: "What in the world is life all about? What is worthwhile? I get up and go through the same routine day after day. What for?"
James 4:14 "Wherefore ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
Let's examine these questions: What IS life all about? What is worthwhile? What is junk? We have only one life to live. We want to make the most of it. But how can we accomplish this, with the energy and resources we have? What in life can we afford to let go of? The answer, if we think about it, is plain: Let go of anything we can't carry with us into eternal life.
James 4:14 "Wherefore ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
Let's examine these questions: What IS life all about? What is worthwhile? What is junk? We have only one life to live. We want to make the most of it. But how can we accomplish this, with the energy and resources we have? What in life can we afford to let go of? The answer, if we think about it, is plain: Let go of anything we can't carry with us into eternal life.
- What about pretense? Are we 'pretenders'? Do we pretend to be something, someone we are not? Do outsiders see a different 'us' than our family sees? "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 Eternity is not for pretenders.
- What about worry? "Do we worry about things that MAY happen?" Leave the future to God. We don't know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.
- Are we discontented? We must make the best of what we have, without complaining. Are we always wanting something better? If we look around, we can always find someone worse off than ourselves.
- Are we self-seeking? Are we like a two-year-old, always looking out for Number One? "In eternal life there is no greed. One hears of neither 'mine' nor 'thine'. All things are for all."
- Make use of our time. If we waste a minute here and a minute there, before we know it, we have wasted perhaps an hour. A whole hour out of our day! The question in life is not "How much time do I have?" It is "What shall I do with the time I have?"
- Value work. We must ask ourselves: "Is this work vital for strengthening my own character, or inspiring others, or helping the world?" Of course, one must work to earn a living, but it is HOW we do even menial tasks that counts. We must value the work God has given us to do, and do it to please Him and to be a testimony to those with whom we work.
- Seek happiness every day. If we are not happy today, we will never be happy! Or as an old teacher of mine used to say: "If you are not happy anywhere, you will not be happy anywhere." It took me a few years to figure that one out. But she was right. Be happy today, regardless of circumstances. This doesn't mean that we have to go around laughing all the time. What it means is, be happy within ourselves so that our happiness will shine through us to others, radiating Christ.
- Cherish love. "True love never nags. It trusts. Love does not have to be tethered, neither in time or eternity." Jealous love, exclusive love, selfish love: these kinds of love are not true love. "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, nos not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil...." I Corinthians 13:4 & 5 (NKJV)
- Have Faith. This is all-important. "Strong, serene, unquenchable faith in the loving kindness of God will enable us to look fearlessly towards the end of the temporal existence and the beginning of the eternal, and will make it possible for us to live our lives effectively, grandly."
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Quality of Mercy
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7 NIV)
There was once a man who owed another man a great deal of money. The borrower had been repaying his lender faithfully for several months. Then he was hurt on the job and could no longer work. He had some insurance, but it was barely enough for him and his family to survive. The lender saw all of this and, in spite of the fact that the man still owed many thousands of dollars, he instantly and quietly forgave the debt.
There was once a man who owed another man a great deal of money. The borrower had been repaying his lender faithfully for several months. Then he was hurt on the job and could no longer work. He had some insurance, but it was barely enough for him and his family to survive. The lender saw all of this and, in spite of the fact that the man still owed many thousands of dollars, he instantly and quietly forgave the debt.
The quality of mercy is not strain'd.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
The Bard certainly had it right. Mercy, indeed, blesses both the one who gives and the one who receives. Mercy is not only a quality in God, but a quality that he demands from his people.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines mercy as "compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power." We are under the power of God -- believers and non-believers alike. Mercy is the foundation of God's covenant with his creation. It is the driving force that helps Him forge his relationship with His children.
Our God is a merciful God.
"I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us -- yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses." (Isaiah 63:7 NIV)
While God shows us mercy, He also directs us to show mercy to others. The "compassionate treatment" that defines mercy includes forgiveness. No matter what someone does to you, God directs you to forgive them and not to seek retribution.
"Do not hate your brother in your heart... Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself...." (Leviticus 19:17-18 NIV)
This familiar refrain was repeated by Jesus a thousand years later.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31 NIV)
Forgiveness and mercy go hand in hand with both God and man. The two are inseparable because the prerequisite of forgiveness is mercy. Without mercy on earth, there can be no forgiveness in Heaven.
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV)
The American Heritage Dictionary defines mercy as "compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power." We are under the power of God -- believers and non-believers alike. Mercy is the foundation of God's covenant with his creation. It is the driving force that helps Him forge his relationship with His children.
Our God is a merciful God.
"I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us -- yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses." (Isaiah 63:7 NIV)
While God shows us mercy, He also directs us to show mercy to others. The "compassionate treatment" that defines mercy includes forgiveness. No matter what someone does to you, God directs you to forgive them and not to seek retribution.
"Do not hate your brother in your heart... Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself...." (Leviticus 19:17-18 NIV)
This familiar refrain was repeated by Jesus a thousand years later.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31 NIV)
Forgiveness and mercy go hand in hand with both God and man. The two are inseparable because the prerequisite of forgiveness is mercy. Without mercy on earth, there can be no forgiveness in Heaven.
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV)
Saturday, October 23, 2010
A Father's Promise
Twenty one years ago an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened Armenia, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. It's hard to imagine the anguish, the pain, and the suffering that began in those four brief minutes of time -- people's worlds were shaken and lives crushed. In spite of the devastation, such tragedies often bring out the best in people -- at least it provides a window to peak at the contents of each heart. Let me show you the loving heart of one father.
In the midst of chaos and destruction, he rushed to his son's school. But instead of a school, he found a shapeless heap of rubble. Imagine what went through his mind. What would have gone through your mind? Perhaps, shock would have crippled you as it did the other parents who were walking around dazed, clutching at their hearts and calling out their child's name. But in the case of this father, the sight of rubble and ruin only made him spring into action. He ran to the back corner of the building where his son's class room used to be and began to dig. Why? What real hope did he have? What were the chances that his son could have survived such destruction? All he knew was that he had made a promise to always be there for his son. It was this promise that gave strength to his body and motivated him mentally.
As he began to dig, well-meaning parents tried to pull him out of the rubble saying: "It's too late!" "They're dead!" "You can't help!" "Go home!" "There's nothing you can do!" The fire chief tried to pull him off the rubble by saying, "Fires and explosions are happening everywhere. You're in danger. Go home!" Finally, the police came and said, "You're angry, distraught, but it's over. Go home." But this father had made a promise, and he was going to keep it!
The love this father had in his heart for his son kept him digging for eight . . . 12 . . . 24 . . . 36 hours. Then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his sons' voice crying for help. Immediately, he screamed, "ARMAND!" Back came the words, "Dad!? I told them! I told the other kids that if you were still alive, you'd save me! You promised me, you said you'd always be there for me! You did it, dad!
A determined father, a promise kept, and a stone rolled away to reveal life and give freedom. The story of Armand's dad reminds us of the events of that first Easter when our Heavenly Father kept a greater promise by rolling away a much more significant stone. With the rolling away of that stone, came eternal life, and true lasting freedom in Christ! And you know what? Our Heavenly Father is still in the business of rolling away stones.
What are the stones in your life? It doesn't matter how big or small they may be, our Father is looking for you right now. He's looking through the rubble and the ruin of lives not lived for Him, and He wants to roll away your stone of despair, your rock of remorse, your bolder of bondage. May you remember, or perhaps even discover for the first time, that our God has made the greatest promises ever made, and He is abundantly able to keep them all, just as He kept that very special promise to His own Son some two thousand years ago.
Acts 13:37-38 "But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you."
In the midst of chaos and destruction, he rushed to his son's school. But instead of a school, he found a shapeless heap of rubble. Imagine what went through his mind. What would have gone through your mind? Perhaps, shock would have crippled you as it did the other parents who were walking around dazed, clutching at their hearts and calling out their child's name. But in the case of this father, the sight of rubble and ruin only made him spring into action. He ran to the back corner of the building where his son's class room used to be and began to dig. Why? What real hope did he have? What were the chances that his son could have survived such destruction? All he knew was that he had made a promise to always be there for his son. It was this promise that gave strength to his body and motivated him mentally.
As he began to dig, well-meaning parents tried to pull him out of the rubble saying: "It's too late!" "They're dead!" "You can't help!" "Go home!" "There's nothing you can do!" The fire chief tried to pull him off the rubble by saying, "Fires and explosions are happening everywhere. You're in danger. Go home!" Finally, the police came and said, "You're angry, distraught, but it's over. Go home." But this father had made a promise, and he was going to keep it!
The love this father had in his heart for his son kept him digging for eight . . . 12 . . . 24 . . . 36 hours. Then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his sons' voice crying for help. Immediately, he screamed, "ARMAND!" Back came the words, "Dad!? I told them! I told the other kids that if you were still alive, you'd save me! You promised me, you said you'd always be there for me! You did it, dad!
A determined father, a promise kept, and a stone rolled away to reveal life and give freedom. The story of Armand's dad reminds us of the events of that first Easter when our Heavenly Father kept a greater promise by rolling away a much more significant stone. With the rolling away of that stone, came eternal life, and true lasting freedom in Christ! And you know what? Our Heavenly Father is still in the business of rolling away stones.
What are the stones in your life? It doesn't matter how big or small they may be, our Father is looking for you right now. He's looking through the rubble and the ruin of lives not lived for Him, and He wants to roll away your stone of despair, your rock of remorse, your bolder of bondage. May you remember, or perhaps even discover for the first time, that our God has made the greatest promises ever made, and He is abundantly able to keep them all, just as He kept that very special promise to His own Son some two thousand years ago.
Acts 13:37-38 "But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you."
Yesterday and Today
Yesterday I met a stranger...
JUST FOR TODAY,
Send this to a friend and let them know they were thought about TODAY!
- Today this stranger is my friend.
- Had I not taken the time to say hello, or return a smile, or shake a hand, or listen, I would not have known this person.
- Yesterday would have turned into today and our chance meeting would be gone.
- Yesterday I hugged someone very dear to me.
- Today they are gone... and tomorrow will not bring them back.
- Wouldn't it be nice if we all knew tomorrow would be here?
JUST FOR TODAY,
...smile at a strangerToday you were thought about by me....
...listen to someone's heart
...drop a coin where a child can find it
...learn something new, then teach it to someone
...tell someone you're thinking of them
...hug a loved one
...don't hold a grudge
...don't be afraid to say "I'm sorry"
...look a child in the eye and tell them how great they are
...don't kill that spider in your house, he's just lost so show him the way out
...look beyond the face of a person into their heart
...make a promise, and keep it
...call someone, for no other reason than to just say "hi"
...show kindness to an animal
...stand up for what you believe in
...smell the rain, feel the breeze, listen to the wind
...use all your senses to their fullest
...cherish all your TODAYS
Send this to a friend and let them know they were thought about TODAY!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Thank God For A Professional
A woman received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left work and stopped by the pharmacy for some medication for her daughter. Upon returning to her car, she found she had locked her keys inside. She had to get home to her sick daughter, and didn't know what to do. She called home and the baby sitter told her that her daughter was getting worse.
The baby sitter suggested that she get a coat hanger to unlock the door. The woman found an old rusty coat hanger on the ground, as if someone else had locked their keys in their car. Then she looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."
She bowed her head and asked God for help. An old rusty car pulled up, driven by a dirty, greasy, bearded man with a biker skull rag on his head.
The woman thought, Dear God, is this is what you sent to help me?" But she was desperate, and thankful. The man got out of his car and asked if he could help.
She said "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car? "
He said, SURE. "He walked over to the car and in seconds the car was opened.
She hugged the man and through her tears she said, THANK YOU SO MUCH!
You are a very nice man."
The man replied, "Lady, I ain't a nice man. I just got out of prison for car theft. "
The woman hugged the man again and cried out loud, "THANK YOU GOD FOR SENDING ME A PROFESSIONAL!"
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Do You Want To Be Right Or Happy?
I heard a funny story about a cowboy who ambled into the local blacksmith shop and picked up a horseshoe, not realizing it had just come from the forge. He immediately dropped the hot shoe, shoved his seared hand into his pocket and tried to act nonchalant.
The blacksmith half smiled and asked, "Kinda hot, wasn't it?"
"Nope," replied the cowboy, "just don't take me long to look at a horseshoe, that's all."
I chuckle because I don't enjoy admitting mistakes, either. Nope, I'm fine.I meant to do that.
Furthermore, when I think I'm right, I usually want people to know it. And when I'm IN THE RIGHT, it's hard to hold me back. "Hey, I'm the injured party here. I didn't do anything wrong. I can prove it!" I don't suffer righteous indignation quietly.
I learned of a minister who left his pulpit to go to medical school and become a doctor. An old friend saw him several years later and expressed surprise at his career change, but said he assumed it had been because he could care for people in a more physical way now that he was practicing medicine.
"Not at all," the doctor responded honestly, "the reasons were purely economic. I discovered that people will pay more money to care for their bodies than for their souls."
Several years lapsed before the friend saw him again and discovered that he had left medicine for law. "What was your reason this time?" the friend asked.
"Simple economics again," replied the ex-minister, ex-doctor attorney. "I learned that people will pay more to prove they are right than to care for either body or soul."
I suppose I'm not the only person who enjoys being right. Is that part of our human nature? In conflict, it seems most folks want to come out on top. When they are wronged, they want justice. If no justice is forthcoming, they lament about the unfairness of it all and indignantly brood in self pity. Many people will go to great lengths to prove they are right - and at tremendous cost, not only financially, but in other ways.
Do you know how difficult it is to insist on being right? And how high the cost?
Being the injured party is costly to physical and emotional health. Some people stew about the injustice of it all while their stomachs are eaten away by ulcers. While they wait for an apology or a court case to vindicate them, they grow resentful and bitter. They obsess on the cause of their pain and allow it to rob them of one of their most valuable assets - their happiness. In the end, many of them discover they paid far too high a price to be right.
An important question for me is this: Do I want to be right, or do I want to be well? And a related question is this: Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy? Because usually I have to choose.
But it's a choice I really ought to make.
The blacksmith half smiled and asked, "Kinda hot, wasn't it?"
"Nope," replied the cowboy, "just don't take me long to look at a horseshoe, that's all."
I chuckle because I don't enjoy admitting mistakes, either. Nope, I'm fine.I meant to do that.
Furthermore, when I think I'm right, I usually want people to know it. And when I'm IN THE RIGHT, it's hard to hold me back. "Hey, I'm the injured party here. I didn't do anything wrong. I can prove it!" I don't suffer righteous indignation quietly.
I learned of a minister who left his pulpit to go to medical school and become a doctor. An old friend saw him several years later and expressed surprise at his career change, but said he assumed it had been because he could care for people in a more physical way now that he was practicing medicine.
"Not at all," the doctor responded honestly, "the reasons were purely economic. I discovered that people will pay more money to care for their bodies than for their souls."
Several years lapsed before the friend saw him again and discovered that he had left medicine for law. "What was your reason this time?" the friend asked.
"Simple economics again," replied the ex-minister, ex-doctor attorney. "I learned that people will pay more to prove they are right than to care for either body or soul."
I suppose I'm not the only person who enjoys being right. Is that part of our human nature? In conflict, it seems most folks want to come out on top. When they are wronged, they want justice. If no justice is forthcoming, they lament about the unfairness of it all and indignantly brood in self pity. Many people will go to great lengths to prove they are right - and at tremendous cost, not only financially, but in other ways.
Do you know how difficult it is to insist on being right? And how high the cost?
Being the injured party is costly to physical and emotional health. Some people stew about the injustice of it all while their stomachs are eaten away by ulcers. While they wait for an apology or a court case to vindicate them, they grow resentful and bitter. They obsess on the cause of their pain and allow it to rob them of one of their most valuable assets - their happiness. In the end, many of them discover they paid far too high a price to be right.
An important question for me is this: Do I want to be right, or do I want to be well? And a related question is this: Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy? Because usually I have to choose.
But it's a choice I really ought to make.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
You Have An Awesome Destiny
"You have an awesome destiny!"
I've heard this phrase used many times over the last twenty years. Often it's been said with heartfelt passion and sincerity, but other times it's just been something to say because it sounds encouraging. The truth is that when we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we automatically became a child of God. In fact, we became the son or daughter of the one and only awesome God. That's why we can have total confidence in knowing that our destiny will be a reflection of Him - in other words, awesome!
The truth of this is in God's promise to the children of Israel in Jeremiah 29:11
"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."
As adopted children into the family of God, we can take hold of that promise for our lives as well. God's desire for each of His children is only ever for good. We can be assured that the destiny we have ahead of us is going to be one that is rich because of His unfailing love toward us.
Somewhere along the line though, we've equated prominence in ministry as being a measure of true success. We may never say that, but it often underlies a lot of our thinking. Yet, how many people are working out their Christian lives quietly but steadily, serving God in the every day little things that come their way? In the Father's eyes, these quiet achievers are precious treasures and they are most definitely, the backbone of the Church.
Destiny isn't just for those who are in the public eye, and in the same way, it isn't just for the young. We all live in God's good promises toward us every single day, whether we're the youngest or oldest of the saints. There is never an age where we can say that we're too old to serve the Lord (or too young for that matter).
God has given each one of us talents and spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ. In fact, Paul spoke about this when he wrote to the Church in Corinth:
"Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church."
(1 Corinthians 14:12 NIV)
Whether God's plan for you involves speaking in churches around the world and leading countless thousands to the Lord, or is to raise a family of men and women who are strong in faith and service, be assured that you are living out the Father's awesome destiny for your life. Whether you're to be a missionary and see whole villages converted as God works through you, or act as a missionary to your neighborhood, shining Christ's light into the darkness around you, be confident that you're walking in the awesome destiny God has designed just for you.
God knows the plans that He has for your life. They're all laid out and ready for us to step into. He's just waiting for us to show four things that will let Him know we're ready to follow:
Availability - Willingness - Obedience - Position.
I've heard this phrase used many times over the last twenty years. Often it's been said with heartfelt passion and sincerity, but other times it's just been something to say because it sounds encouraging. The truth is that when we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we automatically became a child of God. In fact, we became the son or daughter of the one and only awesome God. That's why we can have total confidence in knowing that our destiny will be a reflection of Him - in other words, awesome!
The truth of this is in God's promise to the children of Israel in Jeremiah 29:11
"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."
As adopted children into the family of God, we can take hold of that promise for our lives as well. God's desire for each of His children is only ever for good. We can be assured that the destiny we have ahead of us is going to be one that is rich because of His unfailing love toward us.
Somewhere along the line though, we've equated prominence in ministry as being a measure of true success. We may never say that, but it often underlies a lot of our thinking. Yet, how many people are working out their Christian lives quietly but steadily, serving God in the every day little things that come their way? In the Father's eyes, these quiet achievers are precious treasures and they are most definitely, the backbone of the Church.
Destiny isn't just for those who are in the public eye, and in the same way, it isn't just for the young. We all live in God's good promises toward us every single day, whether we're the youngest or oldest of the saints. There is never an age where we can say that we're too old to serve the Lord (or too young for that matter).
God has given each one of us talents and spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ. In fact, Paul spoke about this when he wrote to the Church in Corinth:
"Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church."
(1 Corinthians 14:12 NIV)
Whether God's plan for you involves speaking in churches around the world and leading countless thousands to the Lord, or is to raise a family of men and women who are strong in faith and service, be assured that you are living out the Father's awesome destiny for your life. Whether you're to be a missionary and see whole villages converted as God works through you, or act as a missionary to your neighborhood, shining Christ's light into the darkness around you, be confident that you're walking in the awesome destiny God has designed just for you.
God knows the plans that He has for your life. They're all laid out and ready for us to step into. He's just waiting for us to show four things that will let Him know we're ready to follow:
Availability - Willingness - Obedience - Position.
Availability says, "Here I am Lord"
Willingness says, "Send me!"
Obedience says, "Let it be as You say!"
Position asks, "Where do You want me to go and what do You want me to do?"
So, who has an awesome destiny?
WHY, IT'S YOU OF COURSE!!!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Don't We All?
I was parked in front of the grocery store wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money.
There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those I "don't want to be bothered times." "I hope he doesn't ask me for any money" I thought. He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke.
"That's a very pretty car," he said.
He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm. I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.
He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came.As the silence between us widened something inside said,"ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."
Don't we all?
There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those I "don't want to be bothered times." "I hope he doesn't ask me for any money" I thought. He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke.
"That's a very pretty car," he said.
He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm. I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.
He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came.As the silence between us widened something inside said,"ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."
Don't we all?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Five Fingers of Prayer
1. Your thumb is nearest to you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators.These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively. Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight, just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in. Should you decide to send this to a friend, you might brighten someone's day! Pass this on to someone special... I did! God Bless!
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators.These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively. Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight, just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in. Should you decide to send this to a friend, you might brighten someone's day! Pass this on to someone special... I did! God Bless!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
That Ain't No Big Thing-Doing the Impossible Everyday
The battle between David and Goliath is renown. The Bible opens the story in a valley where two armies face and taunt each other. Emerging from the encampment of the Philistines is Goliath. He is nearly 15 feet tall, broad as a dump truck at the shoulders. His shield and sword is to heavy for men to handle, so they are drawn on a flat cart by a team of snorting horses.
Goliath surveys the army of Israel and growls angrily. "Send me a man who is your champion. Come, let us fight and I shall kill you like a mangy dog!" Fear sank deeper into the hearts & bodies of the Israeli soldiers. A huge shadow cast itself across the valley floor, it appeared ominous and foreboding. High on a ridge cresting the valley stood Goliath, Lord of Chaos and Destruction. He towered like a skyscraper against the sunlit sky, his frame blocking the powerful illuminating rays.
No one stepped forward to accept the giant's dare. Seasoned, hardened men of war cowered and wished for the bosoms of their wives and children. Death was upon them and Goliath was ready to drink blood. Suddenly a red haired boy, barely weighing 90 pounds, bravely steps forward. He is a shepherd boy of 9 or 10, and his only weapon is a crude slingshot containing several smooth stones. The boy's name is David.
David advances into the valley beneath the giant shadow. "I will face you, and the Lord God shall give me your head this day", David says confidently. Goliath howls in laugher as do all the soldiers. "What?! Do you send a boy dog to face me, have you no champions", he growls? David responds, " I am the Lord's Champion and this day shall I take thy head from thee!"
Goliath lifts his massive shield and sword off the cart, the horses neigh wildly in fear.
Swinging the huge steel blade overhead, it slices the air with sonic swiftness. The steel sounds like the cold whisper of deaf as it slices the air. Goliath can easily chop a 10 foot tall grizzly bear neatly in half with the powerful swing of his oak tree sized arms. "This fool will be easy prey", Goliath thinks to himself, as he salivates for the taste of warm blood. Running across the valley floor with the speed of a cat, David loads his sling shot skillfully. He chooses a small marble sized stone, smooth, hard and round. As Goliath advanced down the valley ridge, David arches his arms, his eyes locked on Goliath's forehead. In a split second he prays "In the name of the I AM that I AM I Conquer Goliath this day!"
The stone spins from the sling shot, propelled with the accuracy of a laser. Within the blink of an eyelash, the flesh between Goliath's eyes splits open, the stone burying itself in the darkness of his brain. Deeper the stone goes, grinding bone as it drills into the giants skull. A force surrounds the stone, burying it with nuclear force. As Goliath prepares to swing his blade through David's tiny body, he feels a sting between his eyes. Suddenly his eyes loose focus, and he freezes in motion. His vision dissolves like the picture on a TV screen when it is turned off.
David scurries away from under the giant's shadow. Goliath's last words are cut short as his brains blood pumps from the hole between his eyes. The armies watched in terror and amazement as Goliath staggers, then falls to his knees. "You dog, he screams at David", and collapse dead on the ground. This day, the character of a new King is forged on the battlefield, the character of King David of Israel.
Life often faces us with challenges. Sometimes they overwhelm you, and you don't feel capable of victory. The story of David and Goliath reveals the power of faith in the Spoken Word. David believed in what he said, he saw it in his mind and it manifested before his eyes. Did David have angelic assistance? How is it possible for a simple stone to kill a giant? You may wish to ponder the questions I asked, but you are going to miss the moral of the story.
First, all things are possible. It doesn't matter how big, tall or fierce the challenge looks. While others around you declare there are no answers, and that there is no way; faith can cause you to see the victory before the fight starts. Faith allows you to see the outcome before you begin. You know that you know that you know, all things work together for the good, and YOUR GOOD IS HAPPENING TO YOU NOW!
Jesus said, have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed, and all things will be possible for you. So look at your situation in a new way and say to your giants: "That ain't no big thing!"
Goliath surveys the army of Israel and growls angrily. "Send me a man who is your champion. Come, let us fight and I shall kill you like a mangy dog!" Fear sank deeper into the hearts & bodies of the Israeli soldiers. A huge shadow cast itself across the valley floor, it appeared ominous and foreboding. High on a ridge cresting the valley stood Goliath, Lord of Chaos and Destruction. He towered like a skyscraper against the sunlit sky, his frame blocking the powerful illuminating rays.
No one stepped forward to accept the giant's dare. Seasoned, hardened men of war cowered and wished for the bosoms of their wives and children. Death was upon them and Goliath was ready to drink blood. Suddenly a red haired boy, barely weighing 90 pounds, bravely steps forward. He is a shepherd boy of 9 or 10, and his only weapon is a crude slingshot containing several smooth stones. The boy's name is David.
David advances into the valley beneath the giant shadow. "I will face you, and the Lord God shall give me your head this day", David says confidently. Goliath howls in laugher as do all the soldiers. "What?! Do you send a boy dog to face me, have you no champions", he growls? David responds, " I am the Lord's Champion and this day shall I take thy head from thee!"
Goliath lifts his massive shield and sword off the cart, the horses neigh wildly in fear.
Swinging the huge steel blade overhead, it slices the air with sonic swiftness. The steel sounds like the cold whisper of deaf as it slices the air. Goliath can easily chop a 10 foot tall grizzly bear neatly in half with the powerful swing of his oak tree sized arms. "This fool will be easy prey", Goliath thinks to himself, as he salivates for the taste of warm blood. Running across the valley floor with the speed of a cat, David loads his sling shot skillfully. He chooses a small marble sized stone, smooth, hard and round. As Goliath advanced down the valley ridge, David arches his arms, his eyes locked on Goliath's forehead. In a split second he prays "In the name of the I AM that I AM I Conquer Goliath this day!"
The stone spins from the sling shot, propelled with the accuracy of a laser. Within the blink of an eyelash, the flesh between Goliath's eyes splits open, the stone burying itself in the darkness of his brain. Deeper the stone goes, grinding bone as it drills into the giants skull. A force surrounds the stone, burying it with nuclear force. As Goliath prepares to swing his blade through David's tiny body, he feels a sting between his eyes. Suddenly his eyes loose focus, and he freezes in motion. His vision dissolves like the picture on a TV screen when it is turned off.
David scurries away from under the giant's shadow. Goliath's last words are cut short as his brains blood pumps from the hole between his eyes. The armies watched in terror and amazement as Goliath staggers, then falls to his knees. "You dog, he screams at David", and collapse dead on the ground. This day, the character of a new King is forged on the battlefield, the character of King David of Israel.
Life often faces us with challenges. Sometimes they overwhelm you, and you don't feel capable of victory. The story of David and Goliath reveals the power of faith in the Spoken Word. David believed in what he said, he saw it in his mind and it manifested before his eyes. Did David have angelic assistance? How is it possible for a simple stone to kill a giant? You may wish to ponder the questions I asked, but you are going to miss the moral of the story.
First, all things are possible. It doesn't matter how big, tall or fierce the challenge looks. While others around you declare there are no answers, and that there is no way; faith can cause you to see the victory before the fight starts. Faith allows you to see the outcome before you begin. You know that you know that you know, all things work together for the good, and YOUR GOOD IS HAPPENING TO YOU NOW!
Jesus said, have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed, and all things will be possible for you. So look at your situation in a new way and say to your giants: "That ain't no big thing!"
Friday, October 15, 2010
Knowing God's Will For Your Life
Many times we miss God's will because we desire something so much we let it cloud our minds from being and doing what God wants. Also many get comfortable with where they are hoping that the misfourtune of others will open up a place for them and they can say it's God's will. But neither of these scenarios are correct. Some one else getting the blame or taking a fall when innocent never opens the door for promotion correctly in the spiritual realm.
There are two keys to knowing God's will for a given situation:
(1) Make sure what you are asking for or considering doing is not something the Bible forbids.
(2) Make sure what you are asking for or considering doing will glorify God and help you grow spiritually.
If these two things are true and God still is not giving you what you are asking, then it is likely not God’s will for you to have what you are asking for. Knowing God’s will is sometimes difficult. People want God to tell them specifically what to do, where to work, where to live, whom to marry, etc. God rarely gives people information that direct and specific. God allows us to make choices regarding those things with information that He supplies.
Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The only decision God does not want us to make is the decision to sin or resist His will. God wants us to make choices that are in agreement with His will. So, how do you know what God’s will is for you? If you are walking closely with the Lord and truly desiring His will for your life, God will place His desires on your heart. The key is wanting God’s will, not your own. “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
If the Bible does not speak against it and it can genuinely benefit you spiritually, then the Bible gives you the “permission” to make decisions and to follow your heart. If you truly seek God’s will with a humble spirit and an open mind, He will reveal His will to you.
If your heart is for a specific ministry then ask the Lord to open the right door. It may not be in the place you want or even desire, but to fulfill your calling sometimes you have to take a step of faith. Your comfort zone may be shaken for a little while and even fear may grip your heart because of changes you have to make, but if you've been seeking God's will the door He opens is the door He wants you to walk through.
Don't blame God or people for standing in your way of fulfilling your calling. His will is often different from what your will is. That's why we are to delight ourselves in Him and yeild our all to Him. If we do so and be obedient, He will direct our path and we will be placed where He wants us to be.
There are two keys to knowing God's will for a given situation:
(1) Make sure what you are asking for or considering doing is not something the Bible forbids.
(2) Make sure what you are asking for or considering doing will glorify God and help you grow spiritually.
If these two things are true and God still is not giving you what you are asking, then it is likely not God’s will for you to have what you are asking for. Knowing God’s will is sometimes difficult. People want God to tell them specifically what to do, where to work, where to live, whom to marry, etc. God rarely gives people information that direct and specific. God allows us to make choices regarding those things with information that He supplies.
Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The only decision God does not want us to make is the decision to sin or resist His will. God wants us to make choices that are in agreement with His will. So, how do you know what God’s will is for you? If you are walking closely with the Lord and truly desiring His will for your life, God will place His desires on your heart. The key is wanting God’s will, not your own. “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
If the Bible does not speak against it and it can genuinely benefit you spiritually, then the Bible gives you the “permission” to make decisions and to follow your heart. If you truly seek God’s will with a humble spirit and an open mind, He will reveal His will to you.
If your heart is for a specific ministry then ask the Lord to open the right door. It may not be in the place you want or even desire, but to fulfill your calling sometimes you have to take a step of faith. Your comfort zone may be shaken for a little while and even fear may grip your heart because of changes you have to make, but if you've been seeking God's will the door He opens is the door He wants you to walk through.
Don't blame God or people for standing in your way of fulfilling your calling. His will is often different from what your will is. That's why we are to delight ourselves in Him and yeild our all to Him. If we do so and be obedient, He will direct our path and we will be placed where He wants us to be.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Driving Out Bad Nails
A teacher who was lecturing on habits told his class, "Anything you repeat twenty times is yours forever." From the back of the classroom came a whispered voice, "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah…." Of course, what the teacher was trying to say is that any behavior, often repeated, becomes habit.
The Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus once said, "A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit." And if I understand him right, he suggests that saying no to a bad habit is not enough. Instead, we should try to replace it with a good one. Repeat the new behavior twenty times … and it is yours.
If any behavior, good or bad, is often repeated, it becomes stronger and more powerful. "Since habits become power, make them work for you and not against you," said E. Stanley Jones. In other words, drive out the undesirable nail, the behavior you'd like to change, with a better one.
One woman did just that after lamenting to her friend, "I hate being late. It has been a problem for me all of my life."
"Do you really want to change that habit?" her friend asked. The woman said that she did and her friend responded, "All right. Every time you're late for work or anywhere else, then give me $25."
"I'd go broke!" she said. "But I'll do $10."
"It's got to hurt," said the friend.
"Believe me, that will hurt," the woman replied. They agreed that the money should be deposited in a jar and used for charity.
In the first week, the habitually tardy woman made a concerted effort to plan ahead and she only paid $10 to her friend. The next week, $20. The third week, none at all. By week five, she had built a strong habit of leaving early, and her new behavior replaced the old pattern of tardiness that had hindered her for so long. She drove out one nail with another one. And she found freedom.
If you're like me, there is a bad nail you want to remove. Today is a good day to pick up a better nail and start using it.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Why Do You Curse Me?
Once there was a young boy who lived with his father in a cottage deep in the forest. His father worked him hard from sunrise to sunset and still almost every evening he would hear his father say the same thing: "Poor me! Poor me! I will die a sad old man because you are a fool and will never amount to anything."
But the boy was not a fool He showed a lot of wisdom for his age and had a generous heart. One day, after helping an old widow stack some wood, he was about to go home when she stopped him, placed her hand on his head and said, "You are a reflection of the face of God. The world is brighter for the joy you have given me this day. I bless you my child!"
The boy stepped back, amazed: "What was that?" "Why, it was a blessing my child! Haven't you ever received a blessing?" Back at home he asked,: "Papa? Why do you curse me? Why do you not bless me?"
"What a ridiculous question! Because it is against my nature to bless and I will not do what feels so unnatural to me. What a ridiculous question. Poor me! Poor me! I will die a sad old man because you are a fool and will never amount to anything."
"Oh." said the boy, and he felt sorry for his father, but that night he decided that no matter how uncomfortable it felt, he would become the kind of person who blessed others. And so he did.
The boy grew to be a man, left the forest and built a home for himself in the meadowlands. In time he had a family of his own. He was still haunted by the curses of his father, and it would make him sad for days at a time, but he had decided to bless, so even though he felt sad, almost every evening, he would call one of his children to himself, lay his hand upon their head and speak these words: "You are a reflection of the face of God. The world is brighter for the joy you give me this day. I bless you my child."
One night he had a dream in which he saw his father and heard him saying over and over: "Poor me! Poor me! I will die a sad old man because you are a fool and will never amount to anything."
It upset him so much he woke up, got out of bed, and went out into the backyard. He stood there by the trees in the moonlight and was so angry his hands became fists as he spoke out loud to the wind: "What's the point in being someone who blesses? I'm still so haunted by these curses of my father! Well, maybe I should curse as well!"
And he kicked the ground as hard as he could which shook loose a stone. He picked it up to throw and just then the wind became very strong and he thought he heard a voice: "Do not discard your father's heart!"
He looked at the trees and then at the rock in his hands. The voice called again: "Do not discard your father's heart!"
"Who are you?"
"I am the Father of every son and daughter and I tell you, the stone you hold in your hand is like the condition of your father's heart!"
He looked at the rock. He could tell it was badly misshapen, that it had broken off from a larger rock and had many cracks and flaws.
Again the voice: "You can try to change this rock. You can press it until your fingers bleed, but you will not succeed in changing it! Neither will you succeed in changing the heart of your father by force or manipulation. Hold your father's heart gently within your own and pray for him. You have no idea what forces shaped this rock. Neither do you know the forces that shaped the heart of your father. Hold your father's heart gently within your own and pray for him."
"When did his heart become like this?"
"When he chose to curse instead of bless. But do not become proud...Your heart would look just like this, if I had not blessed you as a child."
"I only remember the old woman."
"The voice was hers, but the words were mine."
"Then why didn't you bless my father when he was a child?"
"I bless every one of my children. But I never force them to bless in return. In eternity you will have no questions. For now, it is enough that you decide to bless and not curse."
"Father of every son and daughter, bless my father."
And as soon as he spoke these words, the wind died down and everything became peaceful in the countryside and in the heart of the young man. He went back inside, put the rock in a safe place, laid down and went right to sleep. He had the best night sleep he'd had for a long time. And from then on whenever he recalled one of the curses of his father, he genuinely prayed a blessing on his father, and in time began to experience true healing and a strong peace within.
One evening there was a knock on the front door and as he had raised his children to do, they welcomed in a blind beggar, sat him down at the kitchen table, and gave him some food to eat. The young man walked in and immediately recognized it was his own father. But he didn't reveal his own identity. He listened to the old man speak. And the old man talked about how his son had abandoned him, how he had lost his eyesight, and how he'd been forced to beg in a world where life was hard. Just then his son spoke up: "Grandfather! You're welcome to stay here with us!"
"But I have no money to pay you."
"Oh, we don't need any money; all we ask is that as long as you stay with us, you speak only blessings. -- What's the matter?"
"It... it's against my nature to bless!"
"Grandfather, I can tell by your hands that you have worked your whole life. So, begging must be against your nature as well, but see, it has brought you here to us!"
The old man couldn't argue this point, so he agreed to stay, but it was weeks before he spoke a word - it was so against his nature to bless. When he finally did, you could hardly hear him: "What's that Grandfather?"
"I said, bless you for taking an old man in from the cold. I wish my son had turned out like you, but he was a fool and..."
"Ah! Grandfather, only blessings!"
"Well, I wish my son had turned out like you! Bless you!"
Wasn't bad for a first blessing! And a week later he spoke another one and it was a little smoother. And the next day he spoke two - and they were a lot smoother. Then he began to bless every day -- many times in a day. He really got into it! You could say that blessing became... second nature to him.
And the more he blessed, the more he smiled. And the more he smiled the more his face softened. And the more his face softened, the more his heart softened and the more his heart softened, the more joy he began to experience; a different kind of joy than he had known before.
They lived happily for years until one winter the old man fell ill and was near death. As his breathing grew labored, his son sat on the bedside and asked: "Grandfather, is there anything I can get for you?"
"No one can bring me what I most need at this hour."
"Please Grandfather, anything! What would you like?"
"I should like to see my own son once more to give him my blessing. As he was growing I gave only curses. I told him it was against my nature to bless. And, as you can see, I have learned to bless too late..."
Then his son leaned closer and whispered: "Papa! Papa it's me, your own son... I am here! It is not too late! God has seen fit to bring us together these last years...It's not too late! I'm here... I'm here!"
And they embraced. A moment later the old man straightened up, stretched out a trembling hand, laid it upon his son's head, and spoke these words: "You are a reflection of the face of God. Though I cannot see you with my eyes, I see you with my heart and the mercy you have shown me these past years is like a brilliant light, dispelling all shadow as I pass from time into eternity. I will die a happy, happy old man, because I have learned to bless and so... my son... I... bless you."
And with these words, his hand fell back down to his chest and he died with this beautiful smile on his face. Later that night the young man took the stone out of the place he had put it years before and he sat at the kitchen table by candlelight. Turning it over and over in his hands, a single tear fell onto the rock and it split in two. Inside was a priceless stone; smooth to the touch and sparkling in beauty. Just then the wind became very strong outside and he got up to close the shutter, but then again he heard the ancient voice: "Eternity shines brighter for the joy you bring me this day. And I bless you my child."
Then the wind died down and everything became peaceful in the countryside and in the heart of the young man.
But the boy was not a fool He showed a lot of wisdom for his age and had a generous heart. One day, after helping an old widow stack some wood, he was about to go home when she stopped him, placed her hand on his head and said, "You are a reflection of the face of God. The world is brighter for the joy you have given me this day. I bless you my child!"
The boy stepped back, amazed: "What was that?" "Why, it was a blessing my child! Haven't you ever received a blessing?" Back at home he asked,: "Papa? Why do you curse me? Why do you not bless me?"
"What a ridiculous question! Because it is against my nature to bless and I will not do what feels so unnatural to me. What a ridiculous question. Poor me! Poor me! I will die a sad old man because you are a fool and will never amount to anything."
"Oh." said the boy, and he felt sorry for his father, but that night he decided that no matter how uncomfortable it felt, he would become the kind of person who blessed others. And so he did.
The boy grew to be a man, left the forest and built a home for himself in the meadowlands. In time he had a family of his own. He was still haunted by the curses of his father, and it would make him sad for days at a time, but he had decided to bless, so even though he felt sad, almost every evening, he would call one of his children to himself, lay his hand upon their head and speak these words: "You are a reflection of the face of God. The world is brighter for the joy you give me this day. I bless you my child."
One night he had a dream in which he saw his father and heard him saying over and over: "Poor me! Poor me! I will die a sad old man because you are a fool and will never amount to anything."
It upset him so much he woke up, got out of bed, and went out into the backyard. He stood there by the trees in the moonlight and was so angry his hands became fists as he spoke out loud to the wind: "What's the point in being someone who blesses? I'm still so haunted by these curses of my father! Well, maybe I should curse as well!"
And he kicked the ground as hard as he could which shook loose a stone. He picked it up to throw and just then the wind became very strong and he thought he heard a voice: "Do not discard your father's heart!"
He looked at the trees and then at the rock in his hands. The voice called again: "Do not discard your father's heart!"
"Who are you?"
"I am the Father of every son and daughter and I tell you, the stone you hold in your hand is like the condition of your father's heart!"
He looked at the rock. He could tell it was badly misshapen, that it had broken off from a larger rock and had many cracks and flaws.
Again the voice: "You can try to change this rock. You can press it until your fingers bleed, but you will not succeed in changing it! Neither will you succeed in changing the heart of your father by force or manipulation. Hold your father's heart gently within your own and pray for him. You have no idea what forces shaped this rock. Neither do you know the forces that shaped the heart of your father. Hold your father's heart gently within your own and pray for him."
"When did his heart become like this?"
"When he chose to curse instead of bless. But do not become proud...Your heart would look just like this, if I had not blessed you as a child."
"I only remember the old woman."
"The voice was hers, but the words were mine."
"Then why didn't you bless my father when he was a child?"
"I bless every one of my children. But I never force them to bless in return. In eternity you will have no questions. For now, it is enough that you decide to bless and not curse."
"Father of every son and daughter, bless my father."
And as soon as he spoke these words, the wind died down and everything became peaceful in the countryside and in the heart of the young man. He went back inside, put the rock in a safe place, laid down and went right to sleep. He had the best night sleep he'd had for a long time. And from then on whenever he recalled one of the curses of his father, he genuinely prayed a blessing on his father, and in time began to experience true healing and a strong peace within.
One evening there was a knock on the front door and as he had raised his children to do, they welcomed in a blind beggar, sat him down at the kitchen table, and gave him some food to eat. The young man walked in and immediately recognized it was his own father. But he didn't reveal his own identity. He listened to the old man speak. And the old man talked about how his son had abandoned him, how he had lost his eyesight, and how he'd been forced to beg in a world where life was hard. Just then his son spoke up: "Grandfather! You're welcome to stay here with us!"
"But I have no money to pay you."
"Oh, we don't need any money; all we ask is that as long as you stay with us, you speak only blessings. -- What's the matter?"
"It... it's against my nature to bless!"
"Grandfather, I can tell by your hands that you have worked your whole life. So, begging must be against your nature as well, but see, it has brought you here to us!"
The old man couldn't argue this point, so he agreed to stay, but it was weeks before he spoke a word - it was so against his nature to bless. When he finally did, you could hardly hear him: "What's that Grandfather?"
"I said, bless you for taking an old man in from the cold. I wish my son had turned out like you, but he was a fool and..."
"Ah! Grandfather, only blessings!"
"Well, I wish my son had turned out like you! Bless you!"
Wasn't bad for a first blessing! And a week later he spoke another one and it was a little smoother. And the next day he spoke two - and they were a lot smoother. Then he began to bless every day -- many times in a day. He really got into it! You could say that blessing became... second nature to him.
And the more he blessed, the more he smiled. And the more he smiled the more his face softened. And the more his face softened, the more his heart softened and the more his heart softened, the more joy he began to experience; a different kind of joy than he had known before.
They lived happily for years until one winter the old man fell ill and was near death. As his breathing grew labored, his son sat on the bedside and asked: "Grandfather, is there anything I can get for you?"
"No one can bring me what I most need at this hour."
"Please Grandfather, anything! What would you like?"
"I should like to see my own son once more to give him my blessing. As he was growing I gave only curses. I told him it was against my nature to bless. And, as you can see, I have learned to bless too late..."
Then his son leaned closer and whispered: "Papa! Papa it's me, your own son... I am here! It is not too late! God has seen fit to bring us together these last years...It's not too late! I'm here... I'm here!"
And they embraced. A moment later the old man straightened up, stretched out a trembling hand, laid it upon his son's head, and spoke these words: "You are a reflection of the face of God. Though I cannot see you with my eyes, I see you with my heart and the mercy you have shown me these past years is like a brilliant light, dispelling all shadow as I pass from time into eternity. I will die a happy, happy old man, because I have learned to bless and so... my son... I... bless you."
And with these words, his hand fell back down to his chest and he died with this beautiful smile on his face. Later that night the young man took the stone out of the place he had put it years before and he sat at the kitchen table by candlelight. Turning it over and over in his hands, a single tear fell onto the rock and it split in two. Inside was a priceless stone; smooth to the touch and sparkling in beauty. Just then the wind became very strong outside and he got up to close the shutter, but then again he heard the ancient voice: "Eternity shines brighter for the joy you bring me this day. And I bless you my child."
Then the wind died down and everything became peaceful in the countryside and in the heart of the young man.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The Blood of Jesus
One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.
It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.
The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?" The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus.... end of case!!!
It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.
The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?" The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus.... end of case!!!
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