Welcome to the blog of Pastor Alton Stone, from Simpsonville, SC. Pastor Stone is a retired Ordained Bishop of The Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee with over 45 years of pastoral ministry.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

If Money Could

-If money could buy peace, maybe we no longer we hear about the war. But the real fact said that money become the source of conflict and hostility. To get money isn't the few people who tried in a fraudulent manner even fight with each other. Competition in getting the money often comes around us. That's not good for us. Don't let the money influence us doing bad attitude. I hope we all in the right way.
 
-If money could buy love, maybe the world would be in a whole lot better shape than it is today. But again the real facts tell us that money cannot manipulate or create real lasting love. It can purchase artificial acceptance and tolerance, but never cultivate true and lasting love.
 
-If money could really buy joy, then everyone's life would be much happier than it is today. But alas, joy that comes through the purchase and maintenace of things is very fleeting. Earthly things get old and also lose their value.

The conclusion from this hub is we can learn much that money isn't everything for us. The important thing is family, friend, love and god. If we walk in the right way we can find the meaning of life and certainly know that there are many things around us which support our life. Don't ever think that money is a god. I hope you understand. My pray for you all....amen

Monday, October 31, 2011

My Child, I Love You

Every time I hear those words from my Heavenly Father in my spirit I feel my heart grow warmer and my soul shine brighter. Sometimes it takes a long time to see just how much, how often, and in how many ways God shows His love for us everyday. His love for us is everywhere, in everything, and flows through all of us as well. His love is what created the universe and His love is what can help us to become who we were meant to be.

Do you want to know how much He loves YOU?

-Open your ears, eyes, mind, and heart and YOU will understand. 

-Listen carefully each day of your life and YOU will receive His assurance.

-Hear the gentle voice of our Father telling you just how much He loves YOU. 

God’s love is expressed on the winds of everything in this world. Let it show through your voice and your life as well.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The Key to Survival

"People that learn how to change when confronted with challenges thrive. Those that do not change will die."

In other words, when life gets tough, it will kill off those who are unwilling to make needed changes. The key to survival is often just about being willing to "change."

It's good to accept ourselves as we are, but when an unhealthy attitude or a destructive behavior gets in our way we need to change. When we wish we could change something about ourselves we had better make that change. People who can embrace change thrive, but those who resist it die spiritually, mentally, and sometimes even physically.

If you have been waiting for a sign to make a needed change, this may be it. I am convinced that it is never too late to be the person you might have been. It's never too late to be happy. It's never too late to do something different or to do something better. It's never too late to change a habit. It's never too late to learn how to live.

So begin making those necessary changes today. Then tomorrow, and every tomorrow thereafter, can truly be different because you will be different.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

A Fresh Start

How do you get a fresh start?
-Everyday of our lives can be a fresh start if we wish.

-Each new morning is another gift from God when we can begin again to clean our house within and to live our lives better than we did before.

-Each new day is a fresh beginning to choose love, create joy, spread laughter, help others, and give something back to the world.

-Each new moment is another chance to share a hug, a smile, a compliment, or an act of kindness.

It doesn’t matter how many mistakes we have made, wrong turns we have taken, or days we have wasted. We all can begin again this morning, this day, and right now. God is there waiting to help us to live and love as we were meant to. 

There is an old saying that goes, "If you wake up breathing, you have another chance." Don’t waste your chance today. Make your fresh start now. Wake up this morning and say, "Good morning God! Thank you for my life!" Then go out and live it in joy, love, and oneness with Him. Open your heart, soul, and mind to the love, goodness, and delight that is all around you. Share all the wonder, talent, compassion, and uniqueness that is within you. Help to build a better world with the life you live in it. And seize each new day as a fresh start to live and love.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Turning it around today

Turning-I believe it is one of the most hopeful words in our language. We human beings, by turning, can do something about the course we've taken. We may not be able to change what we've already done; and we may not be able to fully escape the consequences of past choices. But we need not continue in the same, destructive path. We can turn. We can find our way again!

But you can't keep putting it off. Today is the day the changes need to begin. Today is the day that you start on your new path. Today is the day that you forsake your bad seed and plant good seed. Today is the day to get started on that path that will change your life.

Today is the day that:
-You can turn your life around.

-You can turn over a new leaf.

-You can turn your defeat into triumph.

-You can turn your world upside down.

-You can turn wrong into right.

-You can turn yesterday's loss into today's gain.

Are you headed the wrong direction? Don't give up...you can always start over. You can always turn. And turn again...and again...until you come out right. But don't wait until tomorrow to try-do it today!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Love Is

These were some thoughts shared about love by some elementary students. It's amazing how our children see and understand love.
-"Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way."
-"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
-"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth."
-"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
-"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
-"Love is when someone hurts you. And you get so mad but you don't yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings."
-"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
-"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
-"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
-"When you tell someone something bad about yourself and you're scared they won't love you anymore. But then you get surprised because not only do they still love you, they love you even more."
-"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day."
-"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
-"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
-"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
-"Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken."
-"Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
-"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
-"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

Friday, October 21, 2011

What's It Gonna Take To Change The World?

"What’s it gonna to take to change this world?" That question has troubled mankind for centuries. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I think that I have learned the first step to take. It  consists of three little words. If everyone accepted these three little words into their hearts and believed them with their souls then we could put an end to hunger, war, hatred, and strife. If everyone just lived by the truth of these words then we could make this world a paradise with everyone working together, helping each other, and caring for this planet that is our home. What are these three words? "God Loves You."

God loves us all so much. However, so many of us go through life never accepting His love into our hearts, souls, and minds. Maybe we don’t accept it because we don’t feel worthy of it. Well we aren’t, but God gives it to us just the same. When we do accept God’s love an amazing thing happens. We start to become more worthy of it every day. In fact, we start to choose it, share it, and live in it moment by moment. Then we begin to change the world around us as well. With God’s love flowing into our hearts like a river we begin to brighten everyone we meet with our light and uplift everyone we meet with our joy. With God’s love within us we begin to live as His Children and everyday bring a little more Heaven to Earth.

"God loves you!" Take these three words to heart and accept them into your soul. Believe them in your mind and live them in your life. Then go out and start to change the world. It can be done. It is being done right now one heart, one soul, and three words at a time. It is going to take a lot of love to change this world, but God has more than enough for the job. He just wants you to help Him share it and plant it in every heart you touch.