..... son

There is a story that comes out of the Bedouin culture. "Bedouin" is the Aramaic name for "desert dwellers." These people live much as the characters of the Old Testament did. During a heated argument, according to this story, a young Bedouin struck and killed a friend of his. Knowing the ancient, inflexible customs of his people, the young man fled, running across the desert under the cover of darkness, seeking safety.

He went to the black tent of the tribal chief in order to seek his protection. The old chief took the young Arab in. The chief assured him that he would be safe until the matter could be settled legally.

The next day, the young man's pursuers arrived, demanding the murderer be turned over to them. They would see that justice would prevail in their own way.

"But I have given my word," protested the chief.

"But you don't know whom he killed!" they countered.

"I have given my word," the chief repeated.

"He killed your son!" one of them blurted out. The chief was deeply and visibly shaken with his news. He stood speechless with his head bowed for a long time. The accused and the accusers as well as curious onlookers waited breathlessly. What would happen to the young man? Finally the old man raised his head. "Then he shall become my son," he informed them, "and everything I have will one day be his."

The young man certainly didn't deserve such generosity. And that, of course, is the point. Love in its purest form is beyond comprehension. No one can merit it. It is freely given. It is agape, the love of God. Look to the cross. At the cross we encounter love in its purest form.

-King Duncan

again

Losing weight is a tough road to walk for many people. Thousands dream of a new body that is thinner and younger. But the self-discipline required seems like too much, especially when you tackle it alone. There is nothing quite like having someone stand beside you to encourage you forward. That was the experience of Angela and Willie Gillis, a couple who, through dietary changes and exercise, lost a combined 500 pounds. It was like a new creation.

"Everyone needs that one person to help them through, to talk to and someone who will hold them accountable. That person has been my husband," Angela writes on her blog, WeBeatFat.com. A few days before their first wedding anniversary, Willie woke up and told his wife, "I'm tired of being big." He had just gotten back from visiting his newborn goddaughter and was scared he might not live long enough to see her grow up.1

The couple pursued changing their lifestyle with a vengeance. They immediately hit the gym six days a week. They cut out fried foods and Angela learned to make healthier versions of their favorite meals. The biggest challenge they faced was eating out. Food is a social thing and gets associated with friends and good times.

The changes not only led to new friendships, but affected their mental health in a positive way. Willie, who joined a local running club, has gained a "world of self-confidence" since losing 300 pounds. Angela proudly wears smaller sizes in clothing and says she is now more of a risk-taker. They realize many people give up too quickly and don't simply learn from their mistakes and try again.

Angela is now running half-marathons and describes one race as "the best day of her life".2 She became bored running on a treadmill and started out at a walk/jog combination. But the more she ran, the more she improved. The couple's choice to lose weight has changed their lives in so many ways.

For some people, losing weight is almost like being born again. Shedding pounds might be compared to the transformation we will all experience someday when God makes our world all over again. This time, there will be no fast food restaurants and greasy foods to tempt us. We will all enjoy new bodies and live in a perfect environment with friends and family forever. The transformation will be well worth the marathon we are on toward the kingdom of heaven.

1. CNN

2. We Beat Fat

-june kiwia

? recollection

     I heard this story about the owner of a Rolls Royce.  It certainly sounds as if could be true:

     The great British automaker takes great pride in the reliability of their handcrafted automobiles.   An obviously wealthy owner of a Rolls took it to Europe on an extended trip.  While traveling in France the car had some mechanical problem.  He called the Rolls Royce factory and asked that they send out a mechanic straightaway to fix the problem.

     The company responded in royal fashion.  They put a mechanic on a private jet with all of the necessary tools and flew him over to France to make the repairs.  The owner was so wealthy that he wasn't at all concerned about the cost, and he would not spare any expense to assure that his beloved Rolls Royce was properly repaired.

     However, after several months he realized he had not received a bill.  He directed his secretary to contact the Rolls Royce factory to inquire about the bill.  He received a prompt reply from the Rolls Royce company.  With typical British aplomb, it said simply, "We have no recollection or record of any Rolls Royce having ever had a breakdown or being in need of repair anywhere in France."

     That reminds me of how God treats us when he forgives us of sin.  Sometimes we have a harder time forgiving ourselves than does God.  We sometimes feel weighed down with the burden of guilt long after God has removed the burden of sin.  We need to follow God's instructions to find forgiveness, then trust that God has kept his promise to forgive.  Like Rolls Royce, God says, "I have no recollection or record of any sin being committed."  Take comfort from these words:

     "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." (Psa. 103:12)

     "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I rememberno more." (Heb. 8:12)

     Praise be to the God who "forgets" when He forgives!

son

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together they traveled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate.

The widowed elder man looked on with satisfaction, as his only child became an experienced art collector. The son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.

As winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see his son again.

Within days, his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic. Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Easter holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season, a season that he and his son had so looked forward to, would visit his house no longer. On Easter morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man.

As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand. He introduced himself to the man by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you."

As the two began to talk, the soldier told of how the man's son had told everyone of his father's love of fine art. "I'm an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man's son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face in striking detail.

Overcome with emotion, the man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace. A few hours later, after the soldier had departed, the old man set about his task.

True to his word, the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars of paintings. And then the man sat in his chair and spent Easter gazing at the gift he had been given. During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy's life would live on because of those he had touched. He would soon learn that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his caring heart.

As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease the grief. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces for which museums around the world clamored. He told his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received. The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation.

With the collector's passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at an auction. According to the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned on Easter day, the day he had received his greatest gift.

The day soon arrived. Art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled this day; greatness would be achieved as many would claim "I have the greatest collection." The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum's list. It was the painting of the man's son.

The auctioneer asked for an opening bid. The room was silent. "Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked. Minutes passed. No one spoke. From the back of the room came, "Who cares about that painting? It's just a picture of his son. Let's forget it and go on to the good stuff." More voices echoed in agreement.

"No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer.

"Now, who will take the son?" Finally, a friend of the old man and his son spoke. "Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That's all I have. I knew the boy, so I'd like to have it."

"I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice. Gone." The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now we can get on with it and we can bid on these treasures!"

The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced the auction was over.

Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, "What do you mean it's over? We didn't come here for a picture of some old guy's son. What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars of art here! I demand that you explain what's going on here!"

The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son... gets it all!"

Just as those art collectors discovered on that Easter day, the message is still the same - the love of a Father - a Father whose greatest joy came from His Son who left his home and gave his life rescuing others. And because of that Father's love... whoever takes the Son gets it all.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16)

-author unknown

   

? Jesus

God recently allowed me to see Jesus through the eyes of someone seeing Him for the first time. Having the advantage of knowing how the story ends, we can easily forget the cost of our redemption and the love of our Savior.

Every year we attend a local church pageant at Christmas time, which tells the story of Jesus from His birth through His resurrection. It is a spectacular event, with live animals and hundreds of cast members in realistic costumes. The magi enter the huge auditorium on llamas from the rear, descending the steps in pomp and majesty. Roman soldiers look huge and menacing in their costumes and makeup.

Of all the years we have attended, one stands out indelibly in my heart. It was the year we took our then three-year-old granddaughter, Bailey, who loves Jesus. She was mesmerized throughout the entire play, not just watching, but involved as if she were a player. She watches as Joseph and Mary travel to the Inn and is thrilled when she sees the baby Jesus in His mother's arms.

When Jesus, on a young donkey, descends the steps from the back of the auditorium, depicting His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Bailey was ecstatic. As he neared our aisle, Bailey began jumping up and down, screaming, "Jesus, Jesus! There's Jesus!" Not just saying the words but exclaiming them with every fiber of her being. She alternated between screaming his name and hugging us. "It's Jesus. Look!"

I thought she might actually pass out. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at Jesus through the eyes of a child in love with Him, seeing Him for the first time. How like the blind beggar screaming out in reckless abandon, "Jesus, Jesus!", afraid he might miss Him, not caring what others thought. (Mark 10:46-52)

This was so much fun.

Then came the arrest scene. On stage, the soldiers shoved and slapped Jesus as they moved Him from the Garden of Gesthemane to Pilate. Bailey responded as if she were in the crowd of women, with terror and anger. "Stop it!" she screamed. "Bad soldiers, stop it!" As I watched her reaction, I wished we had talked to her before the play. "Bailey it's OK. They are just pretending."

"They are hurting Jesus! Stop it!"

She stood in her seat reacting to each and every move. People around us at first smiled at her reaction, thinking "How cute!". Then they quit smiling and began watching her watch Him. In a most powerful scene, the soldiers lead Jesus carrying the cross down the steps of the auditorium from the back They were yelling, whipping, and cursing at Jesus, who was bloodied and beaten.

Bailey was now hysterical. "Stop it! Soldiers! Stop it," she screamed. She must have been wondering why all these people did nothing. She then began to cry instead of scream. "Jesus, Oh, Jesus!" People all around us began to weep as we all watch this devoted little disciple see her Jesus beaten and killed as those first century disciples had.

Going back and forth between her mother's lap and mine for comfort, she was distraught. I kept saying, "Bailey, it's OK. Jesus is going to be OK. These are just people pretending to be soldiers. She looked at me like I was crazy. In my lap, we talked through the cross and burial. "Watch, Bailey, watch for Jesus!"

The tomb began to tremble and lightening flashed as the stone rolled away. A Super Bowl touchdown cheer couldn't come close to matching this little one's reaction to the resurrection. "Jesus! He's OK. Mommy, it's Jesus!" I prayed that she wasn't going to be traumatized by this event, but that she would remember it. I shall never forget it. I shall never forget seeing Jesus's suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection through the eyes of an innocent child.

Following the pageant the actors all assembled in the foyer to be greeted by the audience. As we passed by some of the soldiers Bailey screamed out, "Bad soldier, don't you hurt Jesus." The actor who portrayed Jesus was some distance away surrounded by well-wishers and friends. Bailey broke away from us and ran toward him, wrapping herself around his legs, holding on for dear life. He hugged her and said, "Jesus loves you." He patted her to go away. She wouldn't let go. She kept clinging to Him, laughing and calling His name. She wasn't about to let go of her Jesus.

I think God in heaven stopped what ever was going on that day and made all the angels watch Bailey. "Now, look there! You see what I meant when I said, 'Of such is the kingdom of heaven?'"

Bailey's reaction should be our reaction every day. When we think of Him, who He is, what He did for us, and what He offers us, we have to say, how can we do anything less than worship Him?

Jesus lives, and for that reason we too can live!

Keep to Jesus

-source unknown

.....wait

"But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.". (Isaiah 40:31)

We spend many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years rushing through life only to find ourselves waiting, waiting, and waiting some more.   We wait at the doctor's office; we wait at the grocery store; we wait at the post office; we wait at the pharmacy; we wait for our children to grow up and then anxiously wait for them to come home again.

Waiting is hard, exasperating work. The fact that we hate to wait has created a "quick fix" society. We microwave our food; pump our own gas; process our words on a computer; write notes of affection on the internet, not paper; text instead of talk, jet to locations far and near; hear news from across the world in fractions of a second; eat out because it takes too much time to cook, and so on. In our world, waiting is bad. However, in God's world, waiting is good. God has given us many instructions on the necessity of waiting. Let's look at some of these:

"Truly my soul waits upon God; my salvation comes from Him." (Psalm 62:1)

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."  Psalm  27:14)

"This is our God; We have waited for Him and He will save us." (Isaiah 25:9)

"Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield."  (Psalm 33:20)

"I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope." (Psalm 130:5)

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry." (Psalm 40:1)

"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him." (Lamentations 3:25)

"Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." (Isaiah 64:4)

Did you notice the words used by those who wait on God? These are not words of frustration and confusion. These are words of strength, salvation and blessings. Waiting on God, as David, Isaiah and many others learned, means letting go and letting God. It involves study, reflection, prayer, solitude and time apart from the world.

We microwave...

    God works miracles. 

We rush...

    God refreshes. 

We get angry and impatient...

    God is busy reorganizing our priorities.

Hurry Up And Wait!  Spend time giving time to God. Block out a section of your calendar for the Son of Man.

Then sit quietly...

    shh...

        shhhh...

            and wait on God.


David Cummings

? rags

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!   2 Corinthians 5:17

  

Once upon a time a man lived in the streets, clad only in the dirtiest and worst of rags. One day a person from the Palace saw him, and approached him. There was going to be a banquet at the Palace, and he had instructions to come and invite people from the highways and byways. Would he like to come?

The man was indeed interested. However, he could not attend a banquet dressed in his rags. The Palace representative assured him they would exchange his rags for some suitable finery to wear to the banquet.

All was in order. The two arrived at the Palace where they went directly to the dressing chambers of the King. Servants took the filthy rags, bundled them in a little package, and proceeded to rub, scrub, and clean the man from top to bottom.

He was then allowed to choose his robes from the closets of the King. He was told that whatever he picked he would be able to keep, so he carefully examined all the many garments in the closet. He chose an exquisite inner garment of purest silk, and an outer robe of finest purple satin. He was ready for the banquet!

As they left the dressing quarters, the man grabbed his old rags. The servants told him to just leave them, because he wouldn't need them anymore. However, he insisted on taking the bundle with him. Even though he didn't need the rags now, he felt more secure somehow if he could just hold on to them.

In the Palace banquet hall, the festivities were about to begin. Nearly everyone was there, including the King himself. The man was seated, looking resplendent in his new attire. He hid his bundle of rags on his lap, underneath the tablecloth, so no one would see them.

The banquet was not to be believed! There was music and dancing, and every kind of delicacy imaginable. As the trays were passed, the beggar had difficulty getting the food onto his plate. He was constantly juggling the package of old rags on his lap, balancing it so it wouldn't fall off. It constantly distracted him from what was going on in the grand hall.

Eventually the evening ended and the great gala event was over. Everyone was stuffed to the gills except for the man clinging to his rag bundle. He was as hungry as when he had come in. He never had eaten even one morsel of the food. He had been too busy fixing and holding on to his old rags.

Today, Jesus invites all of us to God's great banquet, to leave our old ways and old rags, and to say, "Yes!" to Him and to a new and glorious way of living.  That is good news!  

Prayer: Lord, your Word says that I am a new creation in Christ. Help me to discard the old and walk in the new with You today. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

*Author unknown – Adapted

living

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.   Deuteronomy 31:8      I will never leave you nor forsake you.   Hebrews 13:5

In One Basket

Sarah was a cheerful, pleasant, person, who worked hard to communicate in a culture that was quite foreign to her. She read books to learn the language, watched TV to study the vernacular. She hired out to families,  taking care of babies as a newborn-nurse.

This young woman had put all her trust and all her hope in the man she married. She looked to him for her every need. However there were long hours, long nights, long weeks away from her new husband. She was far away from family, friends, and almost anything familiar.

Things seemed as if they were going OK. Then they found her, nearly dead….an attempted suicide with drugs and alcohol.

What really nearly killed her was disillusionment. Her trust and hope had been crushed beyond anything she could cope with. She had made her husband the ‘everything’ in her life; when he left her for someone else her great giant hope for happiness crumbled.

People are just people; not perfect and not God. Sooner or later people will say or do something that doesn't meet our expectations and we will be disappointed. There is only One Hope that will never, ever fail us. We can count on Him. Putting all our eggs in one basket will work only when the basket is the Lord. There will never be a problem with Him not meeting our standards or disappointing us. Jesus is, and will always be, there to trust and lean on.

It's a promise, and that is good news-

-sally kennedy

! bizarre

Today's story can only be labeled as "bizarre".  This is an edited version of a speech that was given in 1994 at an awards dinner for the American Association for Forensic Science.  While some sources refer to this as a "true story" by AAFS President Don Mills, other sources are I believe more accurate when they describe this as a "tall tale on complex forensics".

On March 23, 1994, a medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound of the head.  Opus had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit suicide (he left a note indicating his despondency).  He was unaware that a safety net had been set up at the eighth floor level to protect some window washers and his attempt to kill himself would not succeed.  As he fell past the ninth floor, however, he was hit by a shotgun blast through a window, which killed him instantly.

Suicide or homicide?  If Opus was going to die anyway, it would still be categorized as suicide. But the fact that his suicide attempt would not have been successful caused the medical examiner to believe it was homicide.  The room on the ninth floor out of which the shotgun blast came was occupied by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing and he threatened her with the shotgun. He was so upset that, when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife and the pellets went through the window striking Opus.

When one intends to kill subject A but kills subject B in the attempt, he is guilty of the murder of subject B. When confronted with this charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant that neither knew that the shotgun was loaded. The old man said it was his long-standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her - therefore, the killing of Opus appeared to be an accident.

The continuing investigation turned up a witness, though, who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun approximately six weeks prior to the fatal incident.  It seems that the mother cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother. The case now became one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.

However, further investigation revealed that the son had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led the son, Ronald Opus, to jump off a ten-story building on March 23, only to be killed by a shotgun blast through the ninth story window.

     The medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.

So often we find that attempts to hurt others only hurt us in the end.  For example, if we refuse to forgive someone, thinking "I'll show them!", we end up suffering the consequences of bitterness in our own lives.

But the opposite is also true.  Attempts to do good to others come back to benefit us in the end.  Jesus said that how we treat others will determine how we ourselves are treated, often by men, and most certainly by God.

 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."  (Luke 6:37-38)

May you do much good to others today, and may much good find its way back to you in return.

-allan smith

.........unfinished

I have not had the opportunity to travel much, but several years ago my dad won a trip to Italy through his business and he asked me to go along. A highlight of the trip was visiting Florence, the great city of the Renaissance.

One afternoon out of curiosity I went to a museum where some works of Michelangelo were displayed. As we viewed the half-finished sculpture of St. Matthew the tour guide explained that this unfinished work was a prime example of Michelangelo’s philosophy of art. He believed that in a stone there was a figure or statue waiting to be released.



The work of the artist was to free the statue from the stone. The statute was so lifelike that I thought any minute St. Matthew might just step out of that huge stone. As I looked at the half-finished statute, I could see that the artist had begun to free the statue but had not been able to complete it. The tour guide went on to explain that Michelangelo had numerous works he never finished.

As I thought about God’s work in us, I realized that God has begun a work in us to conform us to the image of Christ. However, unlike Michelangelo, God does not stop working in our lives until he finishes what he intends to accomplish. According to Philippians 1:6, God will finish what He has started.  Ultimately, God has no unfinished works of grace.

Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6)
-Dr. Ron Meeks

portia

"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith." (1 Peter 5:8-9)

"In a National Geographic article about the Portia spider, author Robert Jackson detailed the various ways it deceives its prey. Sitting still, the spider looks like a piece of dried leaf or foliage until a meal walks by. It also will crawl onto another spider's web and tap the threads, mimicking the actions of a trapped insect. When the host spider appears, the Portia devours it. Deception is the Portia's primary tool.

"Satan is like the Portia spider in that deception is his weapon of choice. He does whatever he can to counterfeit the words of God - to make the unwary and naïve think that God is present and speaking when in fact He is not. The apostle Paul wrote about Satan masquerading as an 'angel of light' and about his agents acting like 'servants of righteousness.'

The book of Revelation says a day is coming when the satanic Antichrist and False Prophet will deceive most of the world.  Only those who know the Word of God will be prepared and protected. Know the truth - don't be deceived by a counterfeiter like Satan.  The more you get to know the truth - and the One who is Truth - the easier it will be to spot deception when it appears.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9) .

-dick innes

peace

The following story came to me by way of "Chicken Soup For the Soul".  Its source is listed as "Gentle Spaces News".

     A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment . . . then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action.

     The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, "You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. Used to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing."

     The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trash cans. After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face. "This recession's really putting a big dent in my income," he told them. "From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans." The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon ruckus.

     A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street. "Look." he said, "I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?"

     "A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed. "If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts!  No way, mister. We quit!" And the old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of his days.

     A wise man indeed!  He discovered something that most of us spend our whole lives searching for -- a way to make peace.  Granted, his peace was a "peace and quiet", while we seek to bring about a deeper level of peace, but the principle is the same.

     In the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:9), Jesus included peacemakers among those who would be blessed.  I stand in awe of those who have the ability to reconcile people who have been fussing and fighting.

     Allow these words of Paul to speak to us:  "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men..... Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." (Romans 12:18; 14:19)

     May God bless us with wisdom to find ways to do just that.

-chicken soup for the soul - gentle spaces news!

secret

"The Secret"

I met God in the morning
When the day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to me a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I, too, had loosed the moorings,
With the presence left behind.

So, I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!

-ralph cushman

run

There's an old African proverb that says, "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

When we awaken each morning, we must realize that "The devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8)

In Psalm 5, we read that David came to God early in the morning and asked for his protection and help. We also need to pay attention to the vital importance of prayer.

.....mine.....

There was a little boy who built a sailboat. He built the sail and had it all fixed up, tarred and painted. He took it to the lake and pushed it in hoping it would sail. Sure enough a wisp of breeze filled the little sail and it billowed and went rippling along the waves. Suddenly before the little boy knew it, the boat was out of his reach. All he could do was cry as he watched it sail away.

Some time later, the little boy was downtown walking past a second hand store when he saw his boat in the window. He immediately went in and told the store owner.

The owner of the shop said, "Actually it’s my boat. I bought it from someone. If you want it, you have to buy it."

The kid rushed home and counted his pennies. He had just enough, so he went back and bought the little boat. As he left the store he said, "You’re twice my boat. First I made you then I bought you!"

That's exactly what God did for you.  First, He created you, then He bought you on the cross.  

" For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."  (1 Corinthians 6:20)

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law  by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" (Galatians 3:13)

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

-author unknown

thanks

I was living in Brazil. It had been an especially frustrating day getting my car fixed. As I drove off, two devils perched on my shoulders.  They spoke the language of the Liar. One was anger; the other self-pity!  I rolled down my window when I reached a traffic stop.  I saw a boy, probably nine years old.  Shirtless.  Barefooted.

“What’s your name?” I asked. “Jose,” he answered.  Two other orphans with him were naked except for ragged gym shorts.

“Have you collected much money today?” I asked.  He opened a dirty hand full of coins.  Enough perhaps for a soft drink.  As I pulled out the equivalent of a dollar his eyes brightened and he ran to tell his friends!

God sent Jose to me that day with this message:  “Max, you cry over spilled soda. You bellyache over frills, not the basics.” Jose gave me a lot for my dollar… he gave me a lesson on gratitude.

-max lucado, march 2013

first

Nathan Hale, a great American patriot during the Revolutionary War, was captured and hung by British soldiers. His now famous final words were, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."  He was willing to die for his nation and its freedom.

Not long ago, a mother in Philadelphia went back into a burning building to rescue her children who were trapped inside. After saving two, she died in the flames trying to save the other two. The mother was willing to die for her children.

In the ancient empire of Persia, a law was passed making it a crime punishable by death to pray to anyone but the emperor. One aged government official refused to obey the edict. It was his habit to pray three times daily to the one true God. As a result, he was cast into a den of lions. Even though God saved Daniel, Daniel was still willing to die rather than give up his habit of prayer.

Most things in our life that are important require sacrifices in order to do them. If you have hobbies or extra-curricular activities that you enjoy doing you may be willing to sacrifice time, money, energy, or other activities in order to participate in them.

The same is true of prayer. We like to sing, “Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer; that calls me from a world of care...”  Do we really long for a "sweet hour of prayer" - or do we just settle for a few moments of prayer that we try to squeeze into our driving, our work or some other daily activity?

Let me challenge you - beginning today - to put everything else second, and only Jesus and his kingdom work first. 

 

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

-kissah george, a few days before passing on

prayer

The pulse of prayer is praise.

The heart of prayer is gratitude.

The voice of prayer is obedience.

The armof prayer is service.

By William Athur Ward.
-june kiwia july 4th, 2005

life

On Wednesday, June 22, Anthony Mitchell, reporter for the Associated Press, shared the amazing rescue of a 12-year-old girl who was found guarded by three lions. [1] The girl had been abducted and missing from her home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for a week. The young child was repeatedly beaten by seven men trying to force her into a marriage with

one of them.

Sergeant Wondimu Weajo, officer on the case, reported that the lions guarded the young girl for half a day until they found her. "Then," according to Weajo, "the lions just left her like a gift and went back into the forest. If the lions had not come to her rescue it could have been worse because often these young girls are raped and severely beaten to force them to accept the marriage against their wishes."

Stuart Williams, a wildlife expert with the rural-development ministry in Addis Ababa, suggested that if lions heard the girl whimpering they may have mistaken the sound for the mewing of a lion cub. This would explain why they didn't eat her.

The United Nations estimates that more than 70 percent of marriages are by abduction in the rural areas of Ethiopia where 71 million people reside. [2]

Lions saved this young Ethiopian girl from death by sinners. Jesus Christ died to save sinners who make Him Lord of their life from eternal death.

The word Lord has many contexts. Used as a noun, lord often refers to one who is of high rank in a feudal society--especially a king or a magnate of a specific territory or manor. "Lord of the Rings," J.R. Tolkin's religious classic, recently was made into a Hollywood movie. Then there is the British House of Lords where even the abbreviation Ld.  stands for the general masculine title of nobility. In other usage, the word refers to one who domineers or lords it over a subordinate--a master.

In the Bible the word Lord is used interchangeably to mean God, Christ or Jesus and generally calls for capitalization. Scripture suggests reverence, awe and appreciation rather than dominance. Some examples are:

LORD: John 20:28 "Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'"

LORD OF ALL: Acts 10:36 "The word which he sent to the children of

Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of

all..."

LORD OF GLORY: 1 Corinthians 2:8 "Which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory."

LORD OF LORDS: 1 Timothy 6:15 "which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords"

"Savior" is also capitalized with reference to Jesus. Savior is a descriptor. It is something someone does. He saves, therefore he is a savior, a life guard. If we were pulled to safety from a burning house or tsunami, we would have a life-long appreciation and special bond with the one who saved us. We'd be willing to do almost anything for that person. If we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Savior, we also need to demonstrate that special bond with Him.

In our new series of lessons we will be given Biblical strategies to show us that Jesus is interested in our day-to-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute priorities, thoughts, desires, speech, prayers, relationships, resources, body, labor, worship and service to others.  We'll learn how Jesus as Savior and Lord does not use force or power in dealing with us. Instead He offers us opportunity to depend upon His wisdom and reality rather than having to rely only upon our own.

The question each of us will be asking during these next 13 weeks of study is this:

Am I really willing to experience Jesus Christ as Lord in every aspect of my life?

-june kiwia, july 1st, 2005

thanks

A certain man died and went to heaven. He was granted a chance to go round  God's premises and below was his observation as the angel Gabriel took him  around .They entered the first department, a very big hall where so many  angels (in their millions) were busy sorting letters. The man was surprised and asked in amusement, "what are they doing ?"

Gabriel answered, "they are sorting letters of prayer requests according  to their categories, for people who are sick, seeking jobs, need deliverance etc for God's intervention." They moved on to the next department where they saw almost

the same set-up but this time the angels  were packing letters into boxes and sealing them.

Again the man asked what they were doing and Gabriel answered, "they are  sealing God's letters in reply to the request made by people on earth for  good health, jobs, children, success etc."

Lastly, they went to the last department where they saw only one man sitting and dozing, with nothing much to do. This time the man was perplexed and asked slowly, "why is this man sitting here?" Gabriel turned and looked at the man, "this department is not at all busy, he is supposed to be receiving "thanks giving" from people on earth who would have received their replies of blessings from God but none seems to remember where the  blessings came from that's why this department has only one man to take care of all  the duties, and he is never busy thus you see him dozing."

The man's heart was moved, tears dropped from his eyes and he wished he could  go back on earth to inform his brothers and sisters of what he saw.

* What did God do to you?

* How many answers have you received ?

* How many obstacles have you overcome?

* How many wars did you find yourself a victor?

* Did you give thanks to the Lord?

Malachi 3: 8,10, Psalms 121:1-2.

-rukia nikitas, june20th, 2005