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Weakness Can Be Strength
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A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.
“Sensei,”(Teacher in Japanese) the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.
Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched.
Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. “No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.
“Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”
“You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.” The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
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“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”- 2 Corinthians 12:9
When it comes to life, for some folks their biggest strength becomes their biggest weakness. For example, as Jesus said about the wealthy man, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” – Matthew 19:24. The eye of the needle was referring to a door in the wall of the city (as it was commonly called) which was too small for a camel to go through, meaning that it was impossible for a person who trusts in his riches—or his fame, personality, power or position—to get into God’s heaven.
On the other hand, when we acknowledge our weaknesses and know that we need to depend on God for guidance, wisdom, discernment, and deliverance from temptation – this can become our greatest strength.
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Trust God But Tie Your Camel
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There was once a man who was on his way back home from market with his camel and, as he had a good day, he decided to stop at a Church along the road and offer his thanks to God.
He left his camel outside and spent several hours offering thanks to God, praying and promising that he will be a good person in the future, help the poor and be a righteous man.
When he emerged it was already dark and behold – his camel was gone!
He immediately flew into a violent temper and shook his fist at the sky, yelling: “God! How could you do this to me? I put all my trust in you and then you have done this to me!”
A passing believer heard the man yelling and chuckled to himself. “Listen”, he said, “Trust God but, you know, tie up your camel.”
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Let go and let God.
Letting go and letting God be in control does not mean that we sit around and do nothing, but rather that we act on the promises of God and live them out.
Trusting God means both that we wait on him for guidance and direction – and it also means that we get going in the direction he points us in. Trusting God means waiting on him for direction, and it also means using the minds and gifts that he has given us to head in that direction.
As long as we head in that direction in his strength and not in our own, as long as we continue to trust him along the way and even let him make mid-course corrections, we can be confident that we are trusting him and walking in his power and not our own.
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Let God Hold Your Hand
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One day you were crossing a bridge with God. You were scared so you asked GOD, “Can I hold your hand so I won’t fall into the river?”
GOD said, “No my child, I should hold your hand…”
You asked, “What’s the difference?”
GOD replied, “If you hold my hand and something happens, you might let go. If I hold your hand, no matter what happens, I’ll never let go….”
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It is not GOD who let go and distance himself from us, it is us.
Sometimes we get so caught up in our lives that we forget HE is there! But GOD loves us. He is steadfast and faithful. As the Bible says, For God said,“I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” – Hebrews 13:5
The question is not “Are you holding on to God’s hand?”
but
“Are you letting God hold your hand?”
Is He holding my hand? YES. Will you let Him hold yours?
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Value What You Have : The Song Of The Birds Story
The owner of a small business, a friend of the poet Olavo Bilac, met him on the street and asked him: “Mr.Bilac, I need to sell my small farm, the one you know so well. Could you please write an announcement for me for the paper?”
Bilac wrote: “For Sale, a beautiful property, where birds sing at dawn in extensive woodland, bisected by the brilliant and sparkling waters of a large stream. The house is bathed by the rising sun. It offers tranquil shade in the evenings on the veranda.”
Some time later, the poet met his friend and asked whether he had sold the property? To which he replied: “I’ve changed my mind when I read what you had written, I realized the treasure that was mine.”
Appreciate What You Have
Sometimes we underestimate the good things we have, chasing after the miracles of false treasures. We often see people letting go of their children, families, spouses, friends, profession, their knowledge – accumulated over many years, their good health & all the good things in life. They throw out the window what God has given them, so freely! Things which were nourished with so much care & effort.
Look around, appreciate what you have: your home, loved ones, friends whom you can really count, the knowledge you have gained, your good health & all the beautiful things of life, that are truly your most precious treasure.We can no longer shower kindness on those we love after they have died. It is useless to want to re-do the work that we may have done negligently. It’s best to appreciate and do things well now!
Ask God at every moment that our problems & concerns never degenerate into feelings of sadness & anxiety. “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Be in union with God, who will provide the courage needed to be certain of victory in the struggle, cause God will give with abundance what we need.
We are all imperfect. Always praise & value your loved ones. Do all you can to make it even better. See what you can do to improve your environment instead of complaining. Instead of isolating yourself, because of weakness or failure, seek to invest in true & constructive friendship in your life.
Faith in God is necessary to strengthen self-esteem, in dealing with daily problems.
BE WITH GOD & MAY GOD BE WITH YOU!
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Will God Forgive My Grave Sins?
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Have you ever committed a grave sin? Are you doubting whether God will forgive your grave sins?Are you in doubts and have not done a confession for a long time, or not believing in confession?
I would like to share something that helped me to give importance to confession and changed my life to see things differently, trusting the Lord who is always there waiting for our call to guide us.
The Story of God’s Forgiveness
Once there was a wealthy young man, God-fearing in nature who got married to a beautiful young lady. Both were very happy but the woman even though she was provided with everything the world could give was not happy. The man being a good person gave everything to make her happy but still she would always be disturbed and unhappy. He showed her to the best doctors, councillors, took her to different exotic places around the world but nothing could change her.
One fine day, there was a preacher who had come to their parish to give a retreat and this man took his wife for blessing and counselling. The only thing that the wife said was she has committed a great sin in the past before marriage for which she had confess and that she is sure even after confession it cannot be forgiven. Understanding her concern the father told the lady to come along with him for a walk by the river side that evening.
While walking on the banks of the river the preacher took this opportunity to tell her to pretend that they are talking to God and confessing their sins to God. And as a penance God is asking them to pick up a stone equivalent to the size of their sin and to throw the stone in the sea. The preacher takes a small stone to the size of his sin and throws it in the water asking the lady what she saw in the water. She replied that there was a noise with a small splash and the stone slowly sank in the river.
Now was the turn of the lady to do the same and the preacher said; knowing her sin he will help her carry a big stone that she chooses to throw. Picking up the huge stone they did the same as the preacher had done, threw the stone in the sea. Once again the preacher questioned the lady asking her to describe what she saw. This time also her answer was the same but it made a very big noise with a huge splash of water so big that they were wet and the stone went into the sea sinking slowly with calmness coming to the river once again.
Keeping the experiment in mind the preacher compared the woman sin saying even though both of them had different stone to the size of their sins once thrown into the seas both could not be seen and that after the stones sank they brought calmness once again.
Nature of God’s Forgiveness
The is what the preacher made the women understand that once we confess our sins to God they are surely forgiven, no matter how big or dangerous they may be, never to be seen again.Just as the east and the west cannot meet each other, the same way God also forgives our sins never to look back at them again.
Once the woman understood this formula and changed the way she was thinking, there was great rejoicing and happiness in her married life and she was able to love her husband like never before. We need to guard our spoken word to receive only by saying what we desire to have which is acceptable and pleasing to God.
So my friends, please remember:However grave your sins maybe, the infinite kindness and love of our Lord will erase even your gravest sins forever, once you confess your sins truly and wholeheartedly to God.
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The Nail
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As the story goes, they built a new church building and people came from far and wide to see it. They admired its beauty! Up on the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure-except the nail! No one even knew he was there, and he became angry and jealous.
“If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!” So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud.
That night it rained and rained. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The water streaked the walls and the beautiful murals. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit Bible was ruined by water. All this because a little nail decided to quit!
But what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure but it was also useful. Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust!
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The moral of the story: EVERY MEMBER IS IMPORTANT TO THE CHURCH!
You may, like the nail, feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, your absence is felt. When you are not present for worship, in some way the body of Christ hurts. We are ALL a part of the Lord’s ministry.
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Why Go To Church?
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A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. ‘I’ve gone for 30 years now,’ he wrote, ‘and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I’m wasting my time and the priests are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.’
This started a real controversy in the ‘Letters to the Editor’ column. Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: ‘I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.
But I do know this… They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.
Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!’
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When you are DOWN to nothing….God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!
Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!
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The Gift of Self
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Once there was a wise king who cared for his people so much that he wanted to know how they lived. He dressed himself in rags and, night after night, sat with a poor man who lived alone under a bridge. There they’d share dinner that they scavenged from a garbage dump nearby. Soon, the poor man looked forward to the evenings because of the stranger’s company.
One night, the king decided to finally reveal his true identity. In full regalia, he went with the royal entourage to visit the poor man. ”What do you want to ask of me?” inquired the benevolent ruler. He expected the man to ask for wealth or a decent home or a place of privilege in the king’s court. Instead, the poor man replied, “You’ve showered others with your wealth, but to me, you’ve given yourself!”
Reflection:
This is the story of our lives. Jesus is Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us.” Rulers of this world can give us wealth but only He gave us His very self. He left His throne in heaven and took on flesh to be one of us. There’s no greater gift than that.
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Why Should We Never Fear Death?
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Barbara was driving her six-year-old son, Benjamin, to his piano lesson. They were late, and Barbara was beginning to think she should have cancelled it. There was always so much to do, and Barbara, a night-duty nurse at the local hospital, had recently worked extra shifts. She was tired. The sleet storm and icy roads added to her tension. Maybe she should turn the car around.
“Mom!” Ben cried. “Look!” Just ahead, a car had lost control on a patch of ice. As Barbara tapped the brakes, the other car spun wildly rolled over, then crashed sideways into a telephone pole. Barbara pulled over, skidded to a stop and threw open her door. Thank goodness she was a nurse – she might be able to help these unfortunate passengers. Then she paused. What about Ben? She couldn’t take him with her. Little boys shouldn’t see scenes like the one she anticipated. But was it safe to leave him alone? What if their car were hit from behind?
For a brief moment Barbara considered going on her way. Someone else was sure to come along. No! “Ben, honey, promise me you’ll stay in the car!” “I will, Mommy,” he said as she ran, slipping and sliding toward the crash site. It was worse than she’d feared.
Two girls of high school age are in the car. One, the blond on the passenger side, was dead, killed on impact. The driver, however was still breathing. She was unconscious and pinned in the wreckage. Barbara quickly applied pressure to the wound in the teenager’s head while her practiced eye catalogued the other injuries. A broken leg, maybe two, along with probable internal bleeding. But if help came soon, the girl would live.
A trucker had pulled up and was calling for help on his cellular phone. Soon Barbara heard the ambulance sirens. A few moments later she surrendered her lonely post to rescue workers. “Good job,” one said as he examined the driver’s wounds. “You probably saved her life, ma’am.” Perhaps. But as Barbara walked back to her car a feeling of sadness overwhelmed her, especially for the family of the girl who had died. Their lives would never be the same.Oh, God, why do such things have to happen?
Slowly Barbara opened her car door. What should she tell Benjamin? He was staring at the crash site, his blue eyes huge. “Mom,” he whispered, “did you see it?” “See what, Honey?” she asked. “The angel, Mom! He came down from the sky while you were running to the car. And he opened the door, and he took that girl out.”
Barbara’s eyes filled with tears. “Which door, Ben?” “The passenger side. He took the girl’s hand, and they floated up to Heaven together” “What about the driver?” Ben shrugged. “I didn’t see anyone else.”
Later, Barbara was able to meet the families of the victims. They expressed their gratitude for the help she had provided. Barbara was able to give them something more – Ben’s vision.
There was no way he could have known what happened to either of the passengers. Nor could the passenger door have been opened; Barbara had seen its tangle of immovable steel herself. Yet Ben’s account brought consolation to a grieving family. Their daughter was safe in Heaven. And they would see her again.
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Add God’s Name
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Add God’s Name in our daily life. Have you ever come across problems in life that are seemingly insurmountable? Then read on.
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One rich man owned 19 horses when he died. In his last will and testament he had written that upon his death, half the horses he owned should go to his only son; one fourth to the village temple and one fifth to the faithful servant. The village elders could not stop scratching their heads. How can they give half of the 19 horses to the son? You cannot cut up a horse. They puzzled over this dilemma for more than two weeks and then decided to send for a wise man who was living in a neighboring village.
The wise man came riding on his horse and asked the villagers if he can be of any help to them. The village elders told him about the rich man’s last will and testament which stated that half of the (19) horses must be given to his only son, one fourth must go to the temple and one fifth to the faithful servant.
The wise man said he will immediately solve their problem without any delay whatsoever. He had the 19 horses placed in a row standing next to one another. Then he added his own horse as the 20th horse. Now he went about giving half of the 20 horses that is ten horses to the son. One fourth of 20-that is 5 horses were given to the temple committee. One fifth of twenty-that is 4 horses were given to the faithful servant. Ten plus five plus four made 19 horses. The remaining 20th horse was his own which he promptly mounted, spoke a few inspiring words, and rode back home.
The villagers were simply dumbfounded, full of disbelief and filled with admiration. And the parting words of the wise man were inscribed in their hearts and minds which they greatly cherished and passed on to their succeeding generations till today.
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The wise man said: In our daily lives, in our daily affairs, simply add God’s name and then go about facing the day’s happenings.Ever come across problems in life that are seemingly insurmountable? (Like the villagers, do we feel that such problems cannot be solved?).
The wise man continued:Add the God Principle in our daily lives and the problems will become lighter and eventually will disappear.In the manner of the ice which, with the addition of the heat principle will turn into water, and that will eventually evaporate as steam and disappear.
And how do we add God’s name in our daily lives?
Through prayers, filled with true love and devotion with sincerity of purpose and dedication that only total faith can bring about. Meditation is a powerful means of directing the mind Godward. But without true love and devotion entering into it, it remains like a boat without water. It is not difficult to push a boat that is floating in water, but extremely hard to drag the same boat on dry land.
So start adding God’s Name in our daily lives.
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Burdens Give Us Wings
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An old legend relates that long ago God had a great many burdens which He wished to have carried from one place to another on earth, so He asked the animals to lend a hand. But all of them began to make excuses for not helping: the elephant was too dignified; the lion, too proud; and so on.
Finally the birds came to God and said, “If you will tie the burdens into small bundles, we’ll be glad to carry them for you. We are small but we would like to help.”
So God fastened upon the back of each one a small bundle, and they all set out walking across the plain to their destination. They sang as they went, and did not seem to feel the weight of their burdens at all. Every day the burdens seemed lighter and lighter, until the loads seems to be lifting the birds, instead of the birds carrying the burdens.
When they arrived at their destination, they discovered that when they removed their loads, there were wings in their place, wings which enabled them to fly to the sky and the tree tops. They had learned how to carry their burdens, and their loads had become wings to carry them nearer to God.
Burdens we carry for others may become wings of the spirit, to lift us into happiness such as we have never known.
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Letting Go Of Wooden Apples
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There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest.
He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.
He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. He became so attached to them, that he didn’t even notice his hunger at first.
A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn’t bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn’t relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.
The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn’t climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go?
Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it’s fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again.
Letting Go Of Wooden Apples
Like that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. A man carries an image of himself as “productive” - carries it like a shiny wooden apple. But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy. Even his worries are sacred apples – they prove he’s ”doing everything he can.” He holds onto them compulsively.
This is a hard thing to see. We identify so strongly with our things even, feeling pain when our cars are dented. How much more powerfully will God identify us with our Faith & and God’s commandments? ? Have you obeyed them ? but we have always searched after vain pleasures to make us happy , Yet they don’t always feed our souls, do they? And we become tired of defending them.
How else could the story end?
The monkey might be found dead of hunger, under a beautiful tree, with fruit within reach, but still grasping his wooden apples.
I chose to end it with him letting go, because only with open hands can we receive anything , Ask God & He will give you more greater riches.
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Each Of Us Has A Role To Play
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Each of us has a role to play in rescuing those who are drowning in sin. Read this beautiful story.
Walking through the forest, a seasoned hiker came upon a broad, slowly moving river. He stopped to gaze over the waters, appreciating the beauty, when suddenly he heard a faint cry coming from upstream. Looking in the direction of the noise, he saw an obviously drowning man floundering in the river and drifting slowly toward him.
The hiker was stunned momentarily, but he sprang into action when he saw the man disappear beneath the waters. Throwing off all of his cumbersome gear, he dove into the river and swam like a madman toward the spot where the man went under.
Upon reaching the spot he plunged below the surface and frantically hauled up the helpless man. He then laboriously towed the victim to shore. Heaving the lifeless body up on the riverbank, the hiker attempted to revive the man, who eventually spit up water and began to breathe.
Relieved, the hiker paused to catch his breath. But no sooner had he done so than he heard another voice out on the water. Another drowning person! Once again he swam out and pulled the person to shore, a little more slowly this time. As the hiker-turned-lifeguard revived the second victim, he heard yet another cry for help.
All day long the hiker worked, rescuing one person after another as they came drifting down the river. There seemed to be no end of drowning victims, and the hiker didn’t think he could keep it up.
Just when he was about to collapse from exhaustion, he spotted another man walking rapidly beside the river, headed upstream. “Hey mister!” he cried out. “Please help me! These poor people are drowning!” Amazingly, the man kept walking upstream. The astonished hiker called out again.
Without even acknowledging the cry, the man kept going. Indignant and angry, the hiker leapt to his feet, ran toward the uncompassionate man, stood directly in his path, and in a loud voice demanded, “Sir! How can you possibly walk past all these drowning people? Have you no conscience? Must I force you to help me save these people?”
The stranger stopped, looked at him for the first time and said with a calm, focused voice, “Sir, please get out of my way. I am headed upstream to stop the guy who is pushing all these people in.”
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Each of us has a role to play in rescuing those who are drowning in sin. Some of us pull people from the water and resuscitate them with counseling, food and shelter, a rehabilitation program, a support group, or financial aid. Affirm those doing these important ministries.
Others of us find our place of ministry upstream, opposing the one pushing people into the river. We do this by introducing those people to Jesus Christ. Knowing Christ sets a person free from sin and releases them from Satan’s power over them.
By itself, pulling people from the water isn’t enough. We need to help people deal with the problem of sin at its source.
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Avalanche Of Blessing
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One day, two men were walking home. All of a sudden, it started to rain. Really hard. Because both of them didn’t have an umbrella, the two guys got soaking wet.
After a few minutes of torrential rain, the first man cursed. “God, what have I done to deserve this bad fortune?” he growled, hurling his fist to the sky. “Why are you punishing me? I’m minding my own business here, walking home, when You had to make it rain!”. But the second man’s response was totally different. He began to skip, dance, and sing like Gary V in a concert. “Yeepee! Life is wonderful!” he hollered.
With venom in his voice, the first man asked, “What are you so happy about? Can’t you see we’re wet as frogs in a swamp!” The second man said, “My dear friend, I’m a farmer. The rain is nourishing my crops. I will have a bountiful harvest this year!”
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It was the same rain, the same amount of water pelting their bodies, but the two men had two very different reactions. Why? Because one person prepared for the rain and another didn’t.
There is always an avalanche of blessing that will flow into your life. Financial blessings. Spiritual blessings. They pour like a rampaging river over you. But will you be ready for their coming? If you won’t be ready, you’ll just curse. But who will praise? The person who has planted great seeds in his life. How will you do that?
Here are the three kinds of seeds that you need to plant:-
1) Seeds of Desire
2) Seeds of Belief
3) Seeds of Action
God wants to bless you abundantly. But you need to learn how to be ready to receive those blessings.
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Hope in the midst of Storm
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I remember a true incident that took place during World War II when the German soldiers were preparing to attack the city of Holland.
There lived an old lady with her only son in Holland. This lady had great faith in God from her very young age and looked unto God alone for everything she needed. She also taught her son to trust in God.
One day she heard on the radio that the German soldiers are all set to attack the city that night and destroy it. The son, trembled with fear, asked her mom how God would let such a thing happen to someone who trusted in Him. Their house was at the entrance of the city and there was no way for them to escape the destruction.
The mother, still strong in her faith, knelt down on her knees and prayed. She assured her son that God will protect them.
That night, they heard great explosions outside the house. They also heard the soldiers marching outside entering each home and destroying it. To their surprise, not one soldier entered their house. They sat awake until dawn and by early morning German soldiers passed Holland.
Then they went out to see why the soldiers surpassed their house without causing them any harm. Ah!! What a great scene to see, their home was completely covered with snow throughout the night.
God had covered them with His protection throughout the night so that the soldiers could not see their house…
That’s how God works in a wonderful way, above our thoughts,
To protect those who love Him and those who trust in Him…
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God is in control
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A few scientists went to the snow-capped North Pole for research. One of them was caught among the ridges of the ice.
Snow enveloped him but he found one small slit to which he put his nose and breathed. Unfortunately, some poisonous gas emanated from the stove which he carried and blocked the slit. He was choked and he began thinking of his wife and children whom he had left far behind.There was no one to take care of them if he did not survive.
Then, for a moment he composed himself and looked at the blue sky and the stars above. He realized that God was on His throne above all and was watching him.
He knew God is in control and would not forget him. This thought was a ray of hope to him in his solitude. At that North Pole he was not alone but God was with him. God had concern for that scientist and in good time he sent few men to look for him. They split the blocks and miraculously saved his life.
Our Heavenly Father who is on His throne is in full control of all that happens in our life.
Nothing can touch us without His will.
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God intended it for Good
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An old story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, “This is good!”
One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.
Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, “This is good!” To which the king replied, “No, this is NOT good!” and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.
As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. “You were right,” he said, “it was good that my thumb was blown off.”
And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. “And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this.” “No,” his friend replied, “This is good!” “What do you mean, ‘This is good’? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?”
“If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you.”
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“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)
Situations may not always seem pleasant while we are in them, but the promise of God is clear.
If we love Him and live our lives according to His precepts, even that which seems to be bleak and hopeless will be turned by God for His glory and our benefit. Hold on, God is faithful! May God bless you all the days of your life, as you seek His will in every situation. Bible tells us in Genesis 50:20 (NIV) – - - “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
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Do we miss God’s blessings?
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A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.
Many years passed and the young man became a very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things.
When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.
He began to search his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible.
It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words…PAID IN FULL !!
How many times do we miss God’s blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?
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Missionary with no legs
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There was a little boy who once heard how many people in the world do not know the love of Jesus. The boy had a great desire to become a missionary so that he can travel places sharing the love of God.
Unfortunately, one day he met with an accident and lost both his legs. He was laid on the bedside of a window and was supplied with his daily needs. The boy grieved in his heart that he can no longer go places to share the love of Jesus. He was so disappointed.
Then one day an idea struck him, everyday he made small chits with one liners in it that read messages like Jesus Loves You, Jesus Heals You, Jesus Saves You etc. He threw these chits from the window on the travelers who passed by the road. He did these for years but did not see any response.
One day a stranger knocked at the door. He asked if there is anybody on the window-side throwing chits on the road. The stranger was led to the boy.
The stranger said, “I am a rich industrialist. Two years ago I was struck by a strange disease which had no medicine in the medical world. I was then being taken in an ambulance for an emergency surgery. The ambulance happened to stop by the signal that is beside the window when a paper came flying and stuck to the glass window of the ambulance. It read, “Jesus heals you”.
The message renewed my spirit and encouraged me. Jesus healed me miraculously and today I’m completely restored with good health. Thank you for sharing His love with me”.
No matter in which state we are, we can still share the love of God with others and change their lives.
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Hundred-fold Blessings
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Three young men were once given three kernels of corn apiece by a wise old sage, who admonished them to go out into the world, and use the corn to bring themselves good fortune.
The first young man put his three kernels of corn into a bowl of hot broth and ate them.
The second thought, I can do better than that, and he planted his three kernels of corn. Within a few months, he had three stalks of corn. He took the ears of corn from the stalks, boiled them, and had enough corn for three meals.
The third man said to himself, I can do better than that! He also planted his three kernels of corn, but when his three stalks of corn produced, he stripped one of the stalks and replanted all of the seeds in it, gave the second stalk of corn to a sweet maiden, and ate the third.
His one full stalk’s worth of replanted corn kernels gave him 200 stalks of corn! And the kernels of these he continued to replant, setting aside only a bare minimum to eat. He eventually planted a hundred acres of corn.With his fortune, he not only won the hand of the sweet maiden but purchased the land owned by the sweet maiden’s father. And he never hungered again.
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The more you give, the more you get. However that should NOT be the reason for your giving.
It is possible to give freely to GOD and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. – (Proverbs 11:24)
The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. – (Proverbs 11:25)
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The Story of a Soul
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There once was a man named Soul who was walking in a garden. He was whistling a real sweet tune for he was saved and had the joy of the Lord, but he was a baby Christian. As Soul was walking, a beautiful and seductive woman came out from behind a tree. Soul was very startled. He said, “Hello, I’m Soul, what is your name?”
She replied, “I am Temptation, I have what you want.”
“What do I want?” replied Soul.
“You want to do all things which are of the flesh,” said Temptation.
Soul replied, “O.K., lead me.”
So he and Temptation went off and fulfilled the desires of the flesh. When Soul returned to the garden, he met a man named Condemnation. Condemnation said, “Hey, I see you have met my friend, Temptation.”
Soul said, “Yes, who are you?”
“I am Condemnation, I come after Temptation. We work hand-in-hand.” Then Condemnation jumped on Soul’s back and began to beat him. He hit him in the face and kicked him when he was down. This went on for several days.
On about the third day, a man named Mercy came running and said, “I command you, Condemnation, to stop beating Soul.”
Condemnation snickered, “Make me.”
So Mercy unsheathed his sword and cut Condemnation in two.
As Soul watched in astonished pain, he was overtaken by the power of Mercy. Mercy walked up to Soul and said, “I have dealt with Condemnation before. He should not show up around you anymore.”
Soul replied, “How can I ever thank you?”
“Well,” replied Mercy, “I was sent here by God and He told me to introduce you to a dear friend of mine. His name is Redemption.”
Redemption walked up and said, “Hello Soul, I see that you are not doing well.”
Soul replied, “Not until Mercy came along. It is a pleasure to meet you Redemption.”
“Well”, said Redemption,” I am glad to meet you. Are you ready to accept me?”
“What do you mean?” asked Soul.
Redemption said, “Well, when you accepted Jesus and decided to walk with Him, then you chose to accept the things of Him and His love. I am a part of Jesus’ love. I help you feel forgiven. You will never have to deal with Condemnation again. Temptation may come around, but I have someone I would like for you to meet who can help you with that. His name is Grace.”
Grace walked up to Soul and said, “Hello Soul, I have been waiting for you. As a matter of fact all three of us have been waiting to meet you. I will help you take the way out of Temptation that God gives you as it comes up. The last person we want you to meet is Faith.”
“Hi Soul, I am Faith, and I will help you stay strong and keep your beliefs strong,” said Faith.
Soul began to cry. When he began to cry Redemption said -
“This is what we were here for. Jesus redeemed you, saved you by Grace through Faith and gives you his Mercy. Jesus loves you Soul.”
Soul said, “I love you, Jesus.”
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Tax Free Blessing
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A tax assessor came one day to a poor Christian to determine the amount of taxes he would have to pay.
The following conversation took place:
“What property do you possess?” asked the assessor.
“I am a very wealthy man,” replied the Christian.
“List your possessions, please,” the assessor instructed.
The Christian said: “First, I have everlasting life, John 3:16, Second, I have a mansion in heaven, John 14:2, Third, I have peace that passes all understanding, Philippians 4:7, Fourth, I have joy unspeakable, 1 Peter 1:8, Fifth, I have divine love which never fails, 1 Corinthians 13:8, Sixth, I have a faithful wife, Proverbs 31:10, Seventh, I have healthy, happy obedient children, Exodus 20:12, Eighth, I have true, loyal friends, Proverbs 18:24, Ninth, I have songs in the night, Psalms 42:8, Tenth, I have a crown of life, James 1:12″.
The tax assessor closed his book, and said, “Truly you are a very rich man, but your property is not subject to taxation.”
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So, here are some suggestions to help you become blessed with the riches of God. Try the above suggestions in order to become a blessing to your Heavenly Father as well as those around you, known as your neighbors.
And, remember, as long as He is meeting your needs and you have the promise of eternity in Heaven, You Are Blessed! I pray that all of us will have this kind of tax free “wealth.” God Bless You!
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Godliness With Contentment is A Great Gain
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One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.
“You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman to the fisherman, “you should be working rather than lying on the beach!” The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?” “Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer. “And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.
The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!” “And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again. The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said. “And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.
The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!” Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?” The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”
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Contentment is a difficult attitude to learn, but so important.
It’s easy to get caught in the world’s trap of working harder and harder to earn more and more, when we may well already have what can provide us with the greatest possible happiness. May you know true contentment today?
“Now Godliness with contentment is great gain, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” (1Timothy 6:6-8).
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Never Sin
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Once there was a child and mother living in a small house. Mother always wanted her son to live as a god fearing child. As he started growing up, mother noticed that her child is living in a wrong way by cheating his friends while playing, and abusing them with bad words.
There was a beautiful door which was nicely painted. The child loved that door so much. So one day the mother said to the child that whenever you do a wrong thing then I will hit a nail on the door and the child agreed.
As he was growing, he started doing sins more and more and so more nails got hit on the door. Now the door was full of nails and lost its beauty.
Each nail represented his sin. One fine day, as he saw the door he realised that he must not sin anymore in his life and went to his mom and said “Mom, from today I want to live righteous life. Promise me that You will remove all the nails which was hit on the door.” Mother told him “If you are not going to sin any more, then no more nails on a door.”
His mom started removing all the nails on the door at once but still the door looked ugly because of nail holes. The child got so upset at this as because of his own sins, the door had lost its beauty and so he left the home.
At night when he came back to home and saw the Door, it was nicely polished with beautiful colours and it got back its beauty. Now the child was so happy as the door became perfect without nails or holes and the mother was so happy for her son .
Jesus Christ was nailed and crucified for our sins on a cross 2000 years back but we people nail him everyday by our sins. Please, at least from today let us realize our own sins and avoid them to make Christ free from this pain.
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A great Gardener mixes the right soil
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A little girl was enjoying the beauty of the garden in her home. Her father had a good collection of rare and exotic plants. He grew them with tender care.
The girl was fascinated by a plant full of fine and fragrant flowers. She went near the plant and enjoyed its beauty and the fragrance of its fine flowers. Suddenly she noted that the plant was growing in a heap of filth. She could not tolerate the presence of dirt at the bottom of the plant with such fantastic flowers.
She conceived a plan to clean the plant. She pulled the plant with all her might and uprooted it. She then carried it to the tap and washed the shoot and roots in running tap-water till all traces of dirt were washed away. She then placed the plant on a clean stone and went away, thinking that she had done a great deed indeed.
Later her father came to the garden and saw the uprooted plant. Its flowers and leaves had wilted and the plant had almost died in the scorching sun. His little daughter ran to him to exhibit her achievement. “I have cleaned it, Daddy”, she reported innocently. “It was placed in dirty soil. Now it is clean.”
The father showed her how her treatment had almost killed the plant. He told her that he had collected the filthy soil and placed it to cover the plant’s roots as it was the best medium to grow that plant. It could grow up healthily and produce fine flowers only if grown in filthy soil. She was sad that the plant had suffered and withered by her cleaning.
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Pain, poverty and illness may cause agony in our life. Sight of successful persons may make us depressed and envious. A great gardener mixes the right soil for each plant. In the same way God provides each of us with the best environment required for optimum spiritual growth. But it may appear to be unpleasant to us and we may even complain to God about our plight.
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God never leaves us
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There was a musician who was exceptionally talented and a gifted player of fiddle.
He was once performing before a large audience, who were enjoying the heavenly melody with rapt attention and great appreciation. He was playing his own favourite fiddle which had four strings and a bow.
As the program progressed, one of the strings broke. But he continued to perform without interruption. Then a second string also broke. Still he continued the music without break. After a while, the third string also broke. He continued his magic performance with a single string, with excellent expertise. His music was so melodious that no one could feel the great tragedy that occurred during the performance.
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This incident teaches us that for a really talented and gifted musician, a single string is sufficient to create a miraculous melody. The mighty Goliath was felled by a single small stone in the gifted hands of David, because God was with David {1 Samuel 17: 49, 50}. Jesus employed the simple and humble gift of five loaves and two fish from a boy to feed the thousands who had assembled to hear His sermon {John 6: 9-13}.
God has given every person a generous gift of special talents, which we often hide and refuse to use. (Matthew 25: 14-30 and Luke 19: 11-27). “Each one of us has received a special gift in proportion to what Christ has given” {Ephesians 4: 7}. We must serve God and our fellow men utilizing fully, all the talents and gifts God has given to us (Ephesians 4:11, 12}.
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Burned Biscuits
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When I was a little boy, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!
Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said: “Baby, I love burned biscuits.”
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired.. And besides – a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!”
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You know, life is full of imperfect things…… and imperfect people I’m not the best housekeeper or cook.
What I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults – and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences – is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
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The Apple Basket
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One day an elderly man entered into a hospital. He was grumpy from being on medication and the nurses thought him to be insane, as he yelled for his wife to get the apple basket. By the time they had checked him into his room the nurses were exhausted from the fight he was putting up.
“Sir you have to calm down we are doing everything we can for you” they would try to explain.
“I don’t need your help” the grumpy man would yell “I want my apple basket”. He finally slept. The nurses sighed with relief and talked among themselves whether they should call the hospital psychologist about the old man and his obsession with the apple basket.
As they talked and laughed about the situation the wife came in carrying the basket of apples. They looked kind of stunned as she asked if she could see her husband and deliver his basket. Sure, they agreed as they watched her slip past into his room.
Curiosity consumed them over the next few weeks as they tended to the elderly man. He was eaten with cancer and the doctors had given him no hope of survival. He turned out to be a very calm, happy man once he had his basket. His wife, they noticed, would come in with apples and go out with apples and the curiosity grew even more till one nurse
couldn’t stand the suspense.
One night as he was nearing the end, the nurse sat down in a chair by the wife.” May I ask why do you have that apple basket? I just don’t understand the significance. “
“I am an apple farmer by trade he sighed. From the time I was 20 till the day I do die I will forever have my apples.” The nurse nodded thinking she understood. He just likes his work, she thought, assured now he was a little bit crazy.
As she started to leave, the old man asked her to sit down. “At age 20 I was saved, I accepted the Lord as my Savior.” Oh no, the nurse thought. Here comes the lecture on religion. The old man continued. “The day I accepted the Lord as my Savior I got this basket, and each time I had a problem or concern that I could not handle, I put an apple in the basket un-shined.”
“Why?” the nurse said shaking her head.
“Because it reminded me to give those problems to the Lord for him to shine. See my basket now,” he stated. “As my problems disappear so do the apples. As I get new problems, ones I cannot handle alone, I put an apple in.”
The humble nurse looked into the basket…only one apple was there.
With that, he took a big breath and grabbed his wife by the hand and faded into eternal sleep. The wife paused for a moment and got up from her place to take from the basket the last remaining apple. She whispered in his ear that his reward awaits him in heaven.
The nurse stayed still and asked with tears in her eyes, “what do you think his riches will be?”
The wife knew what they were, eternal life with Jesus Christ. But she could see the concern and sadness upon the young nurses’ face and handed her the apple and said “the biggest apple pie you can imagine!”
That was the day the young nurse was saved, and from that day on she always had a basket by her bed.
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Am I my brother’s keeper?
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A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a rat trap. Retreating to the farmyard the rat proclaimed the warning; “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”
The rat turned to the pig and told him, “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”
“I am so very sorry Mr. Rat,” sympathized the pig, “but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers.”
The rat turned to the cow. She said, “Like wow, Mr. Rat. A rat trap. I am in grave danger. Duh?”
So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s rat trap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife.
The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.
His wife’s sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer’s wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat.
So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a rat trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9d)
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The Perfect Heart
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One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it.
Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.
Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said “Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”
The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.
The people stared – how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed. “You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”
“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.
Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges – giving love is taking a chance.
Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.
How sad it must be to go through life with a whole untouched heart.
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Windshield Wipers
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One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick.
Suddenly, my son Matthew spoke up from his relaxed position in the front seat: “Dad, I’m thinking of something.”
This announcement usually meant he had been pondering some fact for a while, and was now ready to expound all that his seven-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear.
“What are you thinking?” I asked.
“The rain,” he began, “is like sin, and the windshield wipers are like God wiping our sins away.”
After the chill bumps raced up my arms, I was able to respond.
“That’s really good, Matthew.”
Then my curiosity broke in. How far would my little boy take this revelation?
So I asked, “Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?”
Matthew didn’t hesitate one moment with his answer: “We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us.”
I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on.
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The Lily and The Bluebird
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Once upon a time there was a beautiful lily. This lily had a bluebird friend who used to perch on a nearby fencepost and visit with her nearly every day. Together they enjoyed observing the rancher and his family who owned the place here they lived. They watched as, day after day, the rancher and his family worked tirelessly.
Though their ranch was profitable and their hard work admirable, the conversation the friends overheard and the things they observed were curious to the pair. It seemed the more profitable the ranch became, the more the family thought they needed.
The bluebird made an observational flight over the rancher’s domain, “You know, lily,” he said upon his return, “All their hard work is really paying off. They have increased and improved this place substantially in the last few years.”
“I know,” replied the lily, “But have you also noticed that along with their increase they have less and less time for each other. They have all but quit going to church, and I hear them arguing more and more. And come to think of it,” she observed, “I used to see the farmer and his wife taking long walks. Sometimes they walked together, hand in hand and at other times I used to see each of them taking time out of their busy days for a stroll alone in the woods, talking with the
Lord. Nowadays however, they are too busy for that.”
The bluebird chimed in, “Now they’ve turned the management of the farm over to the farmhands and have both taken jobs in the city in order to earn even more money so they can keep up the possessions they already have.”
“Yes, and they’ve also bought a second home in Florida so they can have a nice warm place to live when it gets too cold here,” said the lily.
The bluebird heaved a mournful sigh, “Lily,” he said, “When the rancher and his family went to church, do you think they heard how the Heavenly Father told them to take a close look at you and me and to observe the secret of simplicity in how He takes care of His creatures? It seems to me they are complicating their lives instead of making them better.
To all this, the beautiful lily replied, “Why is it that people go to school and study textbooks and learn many great things, yet they aren’t smart enough to read God’s textbook on life and apply it?”
“Yeah,” said the bluebird, “Then they too could fly and be free.”