God will get us where we need to be………..

God will get us where we need to be………..

 

Too many people today are living negative and discouraged because they don't like where they are in life. But in order to see change and see God open up new doors, the key is to bloom right where you're planted. Instead of waiting things for change and fighting against everything that comes your way, stay in faith and simply be all that God has created you to be right where you are. We all have times and situations where we're not ideally where we would like to be, but Psalm 37 says that our steps are ordered by the Lord. That means as long as we stay in faith, God will get us where we need to be. By blooming where you are planted, you'll not only live your life happy and enjoy your life more, but you're sowing a seed for God to take you where He wants you to go.

 

Tail of Happiness………

Tail of Happiness………

 

Once there was this kitten that was chasing its tail. It just chased it and chased. An older wiser cat came along and he watched this kitten. The cat watched the kitten for a long time. Then he asked the kitten, "Kitten, why do you chase your tail?" The kitten replied, "Because I will find happiness in my tail." The old cat watched for a time longer then he said, "I, too, use to chase my tail because I thought I would find happiness there. But I realized that I didn't need to chase my tail for wherever I went it seemed to follow." And the old cat got up and walked away with his tail whishing behind. If we let outer events influence our happiness, we become their slaves. We lose our freedom. We let our happiness be determined by outer forces. On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives. What is happiness? It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. Which God already placed in our heart, we don't need to run for it.

 

The Atheist and the Bear…………

The Atheist and the Bear…………

 

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods. What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals, he said to himself. As he continued walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes. Turning to look, he saw a 7 foot grizzly charging towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. Looking over his shoulder he saw that the bear was closing in on him. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear raising his paw to take a swipe at him. At that instant the atheist cried out: 'Oh my God!...' Time stopped, The bear froze, The forest was silent. It was then that a bright light shone upon the man and a voice came out of the sky saying: You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to a cosmic accident.  Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer? The atheist looked directly into the light. It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps, could you make the BEAR a Christian? Very well, said the voice. The light went out, and the sounds of the forest resumed. And then the bear lowered his paw, bowed his head and spoke: Lord, bless this food which I am about to receive and for which I am truly thankful, Amen.

Funeral of a Dead Church…………

Funeral of a Dead Church…………

 

A new pastor in Topeka, Kansas, USA, spent the first four days making personal visits to each of his prospective congregation inviting them to come to his inaugural services. The following Sunday the church was all but empty. Accordingly, the pastor placed a notice in the local newspapers, stating that, because the church was dead, it was everyone's duty to give it a decent Christian burial. The funeral would be held the following Sunday afternoon.  Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the 'funeral'.  In front of the pulpit they saw a closed coffin which was covered in flowers. After the priest had delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin and invited his congregation to come forward and pay their final respects to their dead church. Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a 'dead church', all the people eagerly lined up to look in the coffin. Each 'mourner' peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look.  In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror.

 

Lighthouse.........

Lighthouse……..

 

Along the sea-coast of most lands there can be seen some very useful buildings, built upon rocks or lofty hills near the shore. Some of these are called lighthouses, and others beacons. The first are chiefly intended to guide ships into harbor, or to point out the course they should steer; the latter are to warn of rocks and sands, on which vessels may be wrecked. Such buildings may have been seen by only a few of our young readers, but there are other kinds of "lighthouses" and "beacons" with which they may become more familiar, and they are found in God's Word, the Bible. The Bible is a "lighthouse" to guide us in the right way that leads us to a blessed life on earth and to everlasting life in Heaven. The Bible is also a "beacon" to warn us so that we may avoid becoming shipwrecked. These "lighthouses" and "beacons" in the Bible are not built of brick and stone, but of the clear instructions and commands of God and the examples we have in the actions and conduct of people who lived many years ago. As we look at these short sketches of young people in the Bible and observe their behavior, may the Holy Spirit teach us to watch and pray that we may be guided safely over the voyage of life, live lives that are pleasing to the Lord, and may be saved from dangers more fatal than pointed rocks and hidden sands.

In God we Trust.......

In God we Trust……..

 

Several years ago, a friend and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. Arlene was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the water-way, and cars costing more than her house. The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely. As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. Arlene causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some valuable. A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this? "Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words, "United States of America." No, not that. Read further, "One cent?" "No, keep reading." "In God we Trust?" "Yes!" "And I trust in Him…"

 

God will forgive you.........

God will forgive you……….

 

A group of talented students presented skits to display how Biblical events would get modified if they happened today. One skit was about the forgiving of the sinful woman caught committing adultery and brought before Jesus {John 8: 1-11}. A violent crowd was shown to chase the woman. She fell at the feet of Jesus. The angry men shouted that as she was caught in the sinful act, the law demands that she should be stoned to death. The leaders sought the view of Jesus in the matter. As depicted in the Gospel, Jesus calmly replied, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her" {John 8: 7}. Immediately all the men screamed violently and threw stones at the woman. Some of the stones missed her and hit Jesus and wounded him. Then the curtain came down. It was a vivid depiction of a deadly defect of modern man- No one will admit that he is a sinner. Mark Twain once remarked, "We are all like the moon. We all have a dark side we want no one else to see!" Jesus advised, "Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive you" {Luke 6: 37}. Jesus asked, "Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but pay no attention to the log in your own eye?" {Luke 6: 41}.

Pray, Aim High & Stay Focused.........

Pray, Aim High & Stay Focused………..

 

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner. As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away. Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree. As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining. A voice spoke to him and said, "Pray first, aim high and stay focused." However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake. Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'Pray, Aim high and Stay focused." So, the man decided to listen to God's voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond. When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a deer and a turkey to eat for his family. The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.  Pray first before you do anything, Aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.  Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that, "the past." Live every day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear. Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor. Wait, be still and patient, keep God first and everything else will follow.

Father's call for you ..........

Father's call for you...............  

 

You see, enjoying a steady, uninterrupted stream of blessings has an interesting effect on most people: it distorts our view of the Father, often leaving us to assume He exists for us. We ask God for healing, for success, for financial security. We ask Him to bless our family and our relationships. We ask, ask and ask. And the truth is, most of the time we aren't really talking to the Lord at all. Instead, we've replaced Him with some sort of cosmic errand boy--we tell Him what we want and then send Him off to get it for us. In all of this, who is actually at the center of our prayers? It certainly isn't almighty God, our eternal Savior and Creator of the universe! No, instead we find ourselves at the center of these prayers. Therefore, the end result is the subtle belief that God exists for our benefit. This distortion breaks God's heart and leads us far away from truly knowing Him for who He really is. The antidote for this self-centered idolatry is brokenness. When God says "No," when He takes away instead of adding more, when He divinely manages what we have, how much we have, and how long we have it, He is helping us keep our eyes on Him. Do not despise these moments. Instead, recognize them as the voice of your Father calling you back into His loving arms. 

 

September 11, 2008. Seven years later, families continue to heal from the loss of their loved ones. Seven years later, our country continues to defend us from those who wish to cause us harm. Seven years later, a nation comes together to remember all who fell and all who continue to fight for our freedom. In honor of the lives lost that horrific day, we pause, to remember and to pray. Wherever you happen to be as you read this, take a moment to lift up in prayer all those affected by these tragic events. Seven years later, let us all remember to never forget.

The 57 Cents That Made History..................

 

The 57 Cents That Made History..................

 

 Friends this is a true story, this story made me to cry and increased my burden to take the love of Jesus to the ends. A little girl sobbing stood near a small church. She was sobbing because she was been turned away from the church as the church was too small to accommodate many. "I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus. Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor apartment building and the parents called for the kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribble in childish handwriting which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school." For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building. But the story does not end there! A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for a 57 cent payment. Church members made large subscriptions. Checks came from everywhere. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00 - a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends. When you are in the city of Philadelphia, PA. look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300, and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside at Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind Pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds."

God's Patience.............

 

  God's Patience.............

 

1 Timothy 1:12-16 If God were impatient, we would all experience immediate wrath for sin. Imagine living in constant fear of doing something wrong! Fortunately for mankind, His patience is great. One reason that the Lord shows mercy is because He knows we have a fallen nature. Just as a toddler has to learn obedience, God's children also must learn to walk in His ways. He takes pleasure in watching us do what is right; therefore, He allows us time and room for mistakes. Paul appreciated God's patience. His life demonstrated that because the Father is slow to anger, unbelievers have a much greater opportunity for salvation (1 Tim. 1:16). In Romans 2:4, the apostle affirms that our heavenly Father's kindness and mercy lead to repentance. But in the following verse, he warns those with stubborn hearts that they will experience judgment and consequence. In other words, the warning is that God's patience will at some point run out if someone continuously sins against Him. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel repeatedly experienced this painful truth. The people turned away from the Lord and did evil in His sight by worshiping idols. God patiently tolerated their waywardness so that they would return to Him, but eventually, He withdrew His protection until they'd cry out and return to Him.  Is there sin in your life that you haven't confessed? Be thankful that God has been slow to anger. And be wise: do not test the limits of His patience. 

Lord is asking us today..................

 

Lord is asking us today..................

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? Jesus asked this man "Do you want to be made well?" Of course he did! Wouldn't you? Why did Jesus ask a question like this when its answer was so clearly obvious? It seems the Lord wanted to hear him verbalize his need. In the biography of George Mueller, a strong man of God who established orphanages throughout England in the 1800's and raised the kids up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, this amazing Saint relied upon God for every single need that he faced without making any financial appeals. He laid before the Lord every aspect of these orphanages. He prayed for the locations, the buildings, the furniture to fill them, the workers to run them, and everything else he could think of. When the first orphanage was ready, Mueller realized one major thing was lacking -- orphans!! He forgot to ask the Lord to provide the orphans! Sometimes the obvious things just smack us in the face, don't they? On several occassions, I've found myself in this very position! Silly me -- I forgot to ask! Friend, the Lord is asking us today, "Do you want to be made well?" Whether it be physical healing, spiritual, emotional or financial healing, no thing is too great or too small for our Lord! Perhaps we've just forgotten to ask Him!

The Important Things In Life...............

The Important Things In Life...............
 
A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2″ in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes." "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things - your Church, your Ministry, your family, your partner, your health, your children - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued "there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pray everyday to God, give thanks for what He has done, Love every one and Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house and give a dinner. Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

Things Aren't Always What They Seem.........

Things Aren't Always What They Seem...............

This is an imaginary story, One day two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room.  Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.  When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied..."Things aren't always what they seem". The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel "how could you have let this happen!? The first man had everything, yet you helped him," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die." "Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave her the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem." Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith in God, just trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not realize it until much later. God Loves You.