fishing

A game warden noticed how a particular fellow named Sam consistently caught more fish than anyone else.  The other guys would only catch three or four fish a day, but Sam would come in off the lake with a boat full.

Stringer after stringer was always packed with freshly caught trout.  The warden, curious, asked Sam his secret.  The successful fisherman invited the game warden to accompany him and observe.  So the next morning the two met at the dock and took off in Sam's boat.  When they got to the middle of the lake, Sam stopped the boat, and the warden sat back to see how it was done.

Sam's approach was simple.  He took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the air.  The explosion rocked the lake with such a force that dead fish immediately began to surface.  Sam took out a net and started scooping them up.

Well, you can imagine the reaction of the game warden.  When he recovered from the shock of it all, he began yelling at Sam.  "You can't do this!  I'll put you in jail, buddy!  You will be paying every fine there is in the book!"

Sam, meanwhile, set his net down and took out another stick of dynamite.  He lit it and tossed it in the lap of the game warden with these words, "Are you going to sit there all day complaining, or are you going to fish?"

Seems to me we have two similar options as Christians -- we can spend our time complaining or we can "fish."  Jesus, of course, used the concept of fishing to describe the work of evangelism ("Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." -- Matthew 4:19).  The method we use does not involve dynamite, but it does involve the word from which dynamite comes to us -- "dunamis," the Greek word for "power."

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

 've known some folks in the church who use the "dunamis" of the gospel to fish for souls, and I've known other folks content to do nothing but sit back and complain about what everybody else is or isn't doing.  It's your choice -- Are you going to complain or are you going to fish?

poor the illustration as it is, the message is very clear

reason

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15).

Talk about a captive audience! When Jenny signed up for evangelism training last December, she didn't know she'd get such immediate practical experience. Her unexpected opportunity came when she was trapped in an elevator in the hotel where the conference was being held.

She was confined in the small space with ten other people (including Ashley and Jessica from her youth group and one of their sponsors).  Jenny, who was standing next to an airline pilot from South Africa, began to talk with him about her faith in God.

When he had a question, Ashley and Jessica showed him Bible verses.  Before the doors of the elevator opened 90 minutes later, the man had prayed to accept Jesus as his Savior.

The young women didn't see him again, but left a Bible and a note for him at the front desk of the hotel. When Jenny got home from the conference, she found an e-mail from the pilot. He wrote that the young women who had chosen to share with him would never know how much he needed to receive Jesus.

Opportunities to share our faith are not always planned out.  In fact, most times they are not. They're unexpected, orchestrated by God. The person you sit next to in class. An old friend who sends you an e-mail. A relative you see once a year at a family reunion.  Or even a stranger on an airplane, in a store ... or stuck in an elevator.

God uses Scripture to change people's lives. Romans 10:17 tells us that "faith comes from hearing the message."  Your responsibility is to share what the Bible says, then stand back. Let the Holy Spirit do the convincing and convicting.

me........

Not too long ago, I knelt beside my son’s bed to pray with him. He seemed unusually pensive, especially for a Little League baseball player and an active young athlete. When I finished our prayer, he began to weep softly. He turned his head toward the wall. As most parents know, when you ask, “What’s wrong?” you often get an answer that sounds like a muffled, “Nothing.”

I probed a little deeper, and finally he said, “Well, Dad, do you remember a few weeks ago when those boys got in trouble at the church for marking all over the walls in the Royal Ambassador room?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Well, Dad, it wasn’t just them,” he sobbed. “It was me, too!”

Suddenly, I felt as if I were experiencing a holy moment. My mind swirled with thoughts of all the times I, too, had come face to face with my own wrong. As an earthly father, I had an opportunity to take my son in my arms and say: “You are forgiven. I forgive you, and I love you.”

And with tears coursing down my own cheeks, I lifted my head to my Heavenly Father and said: “Father, do you know all those things that get others in trouble? Well, it’s not just them, Lord. It’s me, too. Forgive me, Father.”

-dean register

glove

"You're so quiet, Son. What's on your mind?" asked Ben's father as he stopped at Ben's room to tell him good night.

Ben put his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling above his bed. "Oh, I've just been wondering if I should be a missionary."

"You don't seem very excited about the idea," said Dad.

"It seems like such a hard job," said Ben, propping himself up on one elbow. "I have this feeling that I might not be any good at it. What if God calls me to do something I can't do!"

Ben's father thought for a moment, then reached over to Ben's desk and picked up his baseball glove. "What's this?" he asked.

Ben laughed. "Don't be silly, Dad! It's my ball glove."

Dad walked over to the corner of the room. He propped the glove against the wall, found a baseball, and threw it at the glove. Though the ball hit the center of the glove, it rolled to the floor. Dad picked up the glove and looked at it in disgust. "This glove is a total failure," he said, shaking his head.

Ben laughed and laughed. "Oh, Dad, you know it can't catch by itself! It has to have a hand inside."

Dan smiled at Ben. "You're just like this glove," he said. "God has a purpose for your life, Ben, just as there is a purpose for this glove. You put your hand inside the glove to give it guidance and strength----you give it power to catch the ball. In the same way, God will give you power to do whatever He calls you to do. Don't worry, Son, God will never prop you in a corner and leave you alone. It's His mighty hand that does the work when you are willing to be used."

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)   

ups

1 . Wake Up !!!

Decide to have a good day. "Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up !!!

Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up !!!

For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!!

To the Lord. "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!!

For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!!

Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING." Philippians 4:6

heroes

One of our ministry team is a pretty enthusiastic auto-racing fan. If you're into that sport, then you know that Jeff Gordon is one of the best in the business. One of the people that helped him get to that position is the man who has been head of his pit crew. You've seen those high-speed cars swing into their service pit and only seconds later roar back into the race.

My racing fan friend told me recently about a TV special on Jeff Gordon. On it, they interviewed the head of his pit crew who, by the way, has a degree in organizational behavior. He revealed just how amazing the work of the pit crew is in a sport where seconds really matter. The pit crew chief said they will change up to 20 tires in one race - just think of what those speeds must do to a tire! And they change a complete set of four tires in thirteen seconds - that's faster than I can finish off a bite of my dinner!

The driver is the name everyone knows - but the driver knows he's nothing without his pit crew!

There are unsung heroes who support is the key to finishing the race. And not just at a speedway. For every one of us, at one time or another, it's our pit crew that has made the difference in us finishing our race.

In Paul's last letter, written shortly before his death, the great missionary pays tribute to one of his pit crew heroes a man with the mouthful name of Onesiphorus. At one stressful season of Paul's life, Onesiphorus was the head of his pit crew - and kept Paul rolling. 

Here's the story of an unsung hero from our word for today from the Word of God - it's found in II Timothy 1:16ff.  "May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day. You know very well in how many ways he helped me."

Man, we all need an Onesiphorus. We all need to be Onesiphorus - except maybe with a name that's easier to pronounce. You can't control if you have a friend like this - but you can decide to be a friend like this! Although the Bible does say, "He that refreshes others will himself be refreshed"  (Proverbs 11:25). And "with the measure you use, it will be measured to you"  (Mark 4:24).

You know some people right now who are at a tough time in their race - they're slowing down...they're overheating... they're under heavy pressure...they may not feel they can finish. And the difference is going to be someone who is willing to step up and be their pit crew. Someone like you. Someone who follows the example we just read about.   Frequently asking, "Lord, what could I do that would refresh my hurting friend - a call, a note, a meal, babysitting, giving him some time off?"  And notice - "he often refreshed me."  Going out of your way to find them... to find out what's wrong ... - "he searched hard for me."   We're talking about you being their "be there" person - they need to know you will always be there. 

God has a wonderful promise for you if you will be someone's unsung hero in the pit crew who keeps them in the race. The promise is in Hebrews 6:10 - "God will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people."

duck

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods.  He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back to dinner.

As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck.  Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved.  In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."

But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you Johnny?"  And then she whispered to him, "Remember, the duck?"  So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."   But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember, the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. But I was just wondering how long would you let Sally make a slave of you."

I don't know what's in your past. I don't know what one sin the enemy keeps throwing up in your face. But whatever it is, I want you to know something.  Jesus Christ was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. But because He loves you, He is ready to forgive you. Perhaps He's wondering how long you'll let the enemy make a slave out of you.  The great thing about God is that He not only forgives, but He forgets.

hand

I read about the experience of a man who underwent open-heart surgery. He said, "The day before surgery a nurse came into my room to visit. She took hold of my hand and told me to feel it and hold it."

"Now," she said, "during the surgery tomorrow you will be disconnected from your heart and you will be kept alive only by virtue of certain machines. When your heart is finally restored and the operation is over and you are recovering, you will eventually awaken in a special recovery room.

You will be immobile for as long as six hours. You may be unable to move, or speak, or even to open your eyes, but you will be perfectly conscious. You will hear and you will know everything that is going on around you.

During those six hours, I will be at your side and I will hold your hand, exactly as I am doing now. I will stay with you until you are fully recovered. Although you may feel absolutely helpless, when you feel my hand, you will know that I will not leave you."

"It happened exactly as the nurse told me. I awoke and could do nothing. But I could feel the nurse's hand in my hand for hours. And that made all the difference!"

Jesus' favorite word for His promised presence in the Holy Spirit is "Paraclete - the One called alongside."  Engrave the words of Jesus on your mind until they are such a part of you that even during the hardest times of your life, regardless of how you feel, you will know that He is with you - holding your hand - and "He will never leave you or forsake you". (Hebrews 13:5)

 

favor

"And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." [Nehemiah 1:4]

Nehemiah's name means "the Lord's Comfort." He was a prayer-warrior in every sense of the word. Whenever a situation arose, Nehemiah went straight to the Lord. We don't see him faltering or wavering. What we see is constant open communication with God.

Nehemiah spent most of his prayer time praying for others. In the first chapter of Nehemiah, we hear his heartfelt cry for Israel. It isn't until the end of his prayer that he asks for the privilege of being used by God.

Nehemiah trusted in the Lord. He knew God would make a way for the protective wall around Jerusalem to be rebuilt. Was it easy? No! Nehemiah and his people were taunted, attacked and burdened with an economic crisis almost to the point of failure. They endured the verbal and physical scorns from their opposition. "They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon."  [Nehemiah 4:17]. But, Nehemiah always reminded them that God would fight their battles. He kept encouraging them.

With the wall completed Nehemiah gathered the people and had Ezra the priest, read the "Book of The Law." Israel realized the error of their ways, confessed their sins and repented. Nehemiah once again had pointed the people to God.

Intercessory prayer is so important in our life. It takes the focus off self and places it on God. Are your prayers more focused on your own requests or those of others? Who do you consistently pray for? If your intercessory prayer life needs help, why not start today by making a commitment to pray for others around you? And like Nehemiah you will find favor in God's eyes!

fixer

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

 

I am into fixing things. If something breaks, get out the scotch tape, superglue, or bandages. I come from a long line of fixers. We all knew my dad could fix anything, from a picture frame that fell apart to a table leg that had broken. All you had to do was take it to him and you knew he would get it fixed and back to you.

 

My husband is a fixer, too. Our granddaughter says emphatically, when something like a flat tire on her bike needs fixing, or a splinter in her finger, “Go to PopPop. He can fix that.”

 

There are some things we just cannot fix, though, no matter how hard we try. We cannot fix broken hearts. That is a real tough one, but not too hard for our God.

 

Luke 1:37 tells us, “nothing is impossible with God”. The Lord himself said, “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26)

 

When we take our broken hearts to the healer, the One who created our hearts, we can have them fixed. The only real fix for a broken heart is the Lord….His mercy, His kindness, His gentleness, and most of all His loving presence. He is not only the ultimate creator, He is the ultimate fixer.

 

That is good news.

-sally i. kennedy

filled

"I firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts.

 

But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled."

 

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself daily, take up his cross and follow me". (Luke 9:23)

-dwight l moody

die

After buying her kids a pet hamster, after they PROMISED they would take care of it, the mother, as usual, ended up with the responsibility.

One evening, exasperated, she asked her children, "How many times do you think that hamster would have died if I hadn't looked after it?"

     After a moment, her youngest son replied quizzically, "Once?"

Well, that didn't help make the mother's point but, technically, their answer was correct -- not only for hamsters, but for us as well.  The Hebrew writer said, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..." (Heb. 9:27).

The fact that we are appointed to die once is both sobering and promising.  On the one hand, it means that there is no way that we can escape death ("it is appointed for man to die"), but on the other hand it is something that we will have to experience only once.  While there are a few notable exceptions in the Bible, everyone who has ever lived on the face of this earth has died, but only once.

But the real point of this passage in Hebrews has nothing to do with us.  It has everything to do with Jesus Christ.  The Hebrew writer says that Jesus is just like us.  He, too, only had to die once.  The significance of that is that once was enough.  Unlike the sacrifices of the Jews which had to be offered over and over, one sacrifice was sufficient to take away all of our sins -- forever!  With that knowledge comes this beautiful promise:

     "...so Christ was offered as a sacrifice one time to take away the sins of many people. And he will come a second time, not to offer himself for sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Heb. 9:28, NCV)

Praise be to Jesus Christ for the effectiveness of his death and for the promise of his return!

letter

My Child.

You may not know me, but I know everything about you...  Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up...  Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways...  Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered...  Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image...  Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being...  Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring...  Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived...  Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation...  Ephesians 1:11-12

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live...  Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made...  Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb...  Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born...  Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me...  John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love...  1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you...  1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your father...  1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could...  Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father...  Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand...  James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs...  Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope...  Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love...  Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore...  Psalm 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing...  Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you...  Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession...  Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul...  Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things...  Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me...  Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart...  Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires...  Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine...  Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager...  2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles...  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you...  Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart...  Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes...  Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth...  Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus...  John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed...  John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being...  Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you...  Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins...  2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled...  2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you...  1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love...  Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me...  1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again...  Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen...  Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father...  Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is.Will you be my child?...  John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you...  Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad. Almighty God

heart

"So he got up and went to his father.
But while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and was filled with
compassion for him; he ran to his son,
threw his arms around him and kissed him."
(Luke 15:20 - The Prodigal Son)

While he was still a long way off...
The father knew the son's heart!
He did not say,
"Here comes that scoundrel...
What does he expect from me? A loan?"

Perhaps we are a long way off
from being what God expects of us.
We are so far down the road
that anyone else might suspect our motives
for calling on the Father
Perhaps we are Christian
for what we can get out of it.

But God can see...
even though the distance is great
...the direction of our steps and
...the purpose of our heart

And if that purpose is a longing
...for a renewed relationship
...or a closer tie
God's heart will go out to us

Even though we are "still a long way off".

grade

Someone has come up with this list of the ways that professors grade their final exams:

• DEPT OF STATISTICS:  All grades are plotted along the normal bell curve.

• DEPT OF PSYCHOLOGY:  Students are asked to blot ink in their exam books, close them and turn them in.  The professor opens the books and assigns the first grade that comes to mind.

• DEPT OF HISTORY:  All students get the same grade they got last year.

• DEPT OF PHILOSOPHY:  What is a grade?

• LAW SCHOOL:  Students are asked to defend their position of why they should receive an A.

• DEPT OF MATHEMATICS:  Grades are variable.

• DEPT OF LOGIC:  If and only if the student is present for the final and the student has accumulated a passing grade then the student will receive an A else the student will not receive an A.

• DEPT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE:  Random number generator determines grade.

• MUSIC DEPARTMENT:  Each student must figure out his grade by listening to the instructor play the corresponding note (+ and - would be sharp and flat respectively).

• DEPT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION:  Everybody gets an A.

     How do you suppose God will grade us on our "final exam"?  Some people think God will automatically pass everyone ("After all, He's so kind and loving, how could He do otherwise?").  Some people think God will grade on a curve ("I may be bad, but I'm not as bad as some people I know!"). Some people think God looks at the assignments you completed (the "good" things you did) and the assignments you failed (the "bad" things you did), and passes you if the good outweighs the bad.

     However, none of those ideas are accurate.  The truth is, God grades on a strict pass/fail basis -- either we pass (heaven) or we fail (hell).  And there is only one way to keep from failing:

     "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)

     For those who are "in Christ" and continue to walk "according to the Spirit", the grade is certain.  I don't know about you, but I'm anxious for the semester to end! 

courageous

At the zoo, a man watched as an attendant entered a wildcat cage through a door on the opposite side.  He had nothing in his hands but a broom.  Carefully closing the door, he proceeded to sweep the floor of the cage.  The onlooker observed that the worker had no weapon to ward off an attack by the beast.  In fact, when he got to the corner of the cage where the wildcat was lying, he poked the animal with the broom.  The wildcat hissed at him and then lay down in another corner of the enclosure.

     He remarked to the attendant, "You certainly are a brave man."

     "No I ain't brave," he replied as he continued to sweep.

     "Well, then, that cat must be tame."

     "No," came the reply, "he ain't tame."

     "If you aren't brave and the wildcat isn't tame, then I can't understand why he doesn't attack you."

     The man chuckled, then replied with an air of confidence, "Mister, he's old -- and he ain't got no teeth."

Some situations don't require much courage.  Others, however, require a great deal of courage.  Take, for example, the choice Daniel was given -- stop praying to God or face the hungry lions (which weren't toothless!).  Or Moses -- live a life of luxury in the king's palace, or align himself with God's people.  Or Esther -- keep quiet and not cause a commotion, or stand up against evildoers at the risk of losing her life.

How we need such courage in our own lives!  Courage to stand for the truth regardless of the consequences.  Courage to live a life where Christ comes first regardless of what others might think.  Courage to confess the name of God to a world which regards us as fools.

I am reminded of Joshua who was given a huge responsibility to take over the role of leadership from Moses and lead the children of Israel into the land of Canaan to face a host of enemies.  Three times in Joshua 1, God said to Joshua, "Be strong and of good courage".  Those can be empty words spoken to a man who is trembling in his boots, but God gave Joshua a basis for his courage -- "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).  Joshua’s strength and courage had to be found in God alone, because it was God who was going to do all the work. There was nothing that was going to take place in the life of Joshua or in the lives of the children of Israel that God would not be involved in.  Every step that Joshua took, every piece of land that he claimed, every battle that he won would be the direct result of God working for him.  Joshua could have courage for what was about to take place because as long as he was following God's will, God was there by his side.

What challenges are you facing today?  What fears do you have?  "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD." (Psa. 31:24)

res

Top scientists were invited to a party, and this is how they replied :

* Ampere was worried he wasn't current.

* Audobon said he'd have to wing it.

* Boyle said he was under too much pressure.

* Darwin waited to see what evolved.

* Descartes said he'd think about it.

* Dr Jekyll declined -- he hadn't been feeling himself lately.

* Edison thought it would be illuminating.

* Einstein thought it would be relatively easy to attend.

* Gauss was asked to attend because of his magnetic personality.

* Heisenberg was uncertain that he could make it.

* Hertz said in the future he planned to attend with greater frequency.

* Mendel said he'd put some things together and see what came out.

* Morse's reply: "I'll be there on the dot. Can't stop now, must dash."

* Newton planned to drop in.

* Ohm resisted the idea.

* Pavlov was drooling at the thought.

* Pierre and Marie Curie were radiating enthusiasm.

* Stephenson thought the whole idea was loco.

* Volta was electrified, and Archimedes buoyant at the thought.

* Watt reckoned it would be a good way to let off steam.

* Wilbur Wright accepted, provided he and Orville could get a flight.

In the gospels, Jesus frequently compared the kingdom of God to a feast -- a time of joy and festivity. What a blessing and an honor it was to receive an invitation from the king or someone who was well-to-do. And all of us have received an invitation to be a part of God's kingdom, a place of joy.

"Then [Jesus] said to him, 'A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, "Come, for all things are now ready."'" (Luke 14:16-17)

As Jesus points out in the verses following, not everyone who receives the invitation will enjoy the wedding, though -- only those who choose to attend. Unfortunately, many of us will allow the things of this world to get in the way and keep us from attending.

You have received an invitation from God. He is waiting for an R.S.V.P. Have you made your plans to attend?

? feel

During Napoleon's invasion of Russia, his troops were battling in the middle of yet another small town in that endless wintry land, when he was accidentally separated from his men. A group of Russian Cossacks spotted him and began chasing him through the twisting streets. Napoleon ran for his life and ducked into a little furrier's shop on a side alley. As Napoleon entered the shop, gasping for breath, he saw the furrier and cried piteously, "Save me, save me! Where can I hide?" The furrier said, "Quick, under this big pile of furs in the corner," and he covered Napoleon up with many furs.

No sooner had he finished than the Russian Cossacks burst in the door shouting, "Where is he? We saw him come in." Despite the furrier's protests, they tore his shop apart trying to find Napoleon. They poked into the pile of furs with their swords but didn't find him. Soon, they gave up and left.

After some time, Napoleon crept out from under the furs, unharmed, just as Napoleon's personal guards came in the door. The furrier turned to Napoleon and said timidly, "Excuse me for asking this question of such a great man, but what was it like to be under those furs, knowing that the next moment would surely be your last?"

Napoleon drew himself up to his full height and said to the furrier indignantly, "How could you ask me, the Emperor Napoleon, such a question? Guards, take this impudent man out, blindfold him and execute him. I, myself, will personally give the command to fire!"

The guards grabbed the furrier, dragged him outside, stood him against a wall and blindfolded him. The furrier could see nothing, but he could hear the guards shuffle into line and prepare their rifles. Then he heard Napoleon clear his throat and call out, "Ready! Aim!" In that moment, a feeling he could not describe welled up within him; tears poured down his cheeks.

Suddenly the blindfold was stripped from his eyes. Although partially blinded by the sunlight he could see Napoleon's eyes looking intently into his own -- eyes that seemed to see every dusty corner of his soul.

Then Napoleon said, "Now you know."

There are some things that simply cannot be described to you. If you haven't experienced them for yourself, you can't begin to know the feeling. If you've never sat by the bed of your father while cancer eats away at his body, you can't begin to know what it feels like. If you've never had a spouse walk out the door knowing they will never return, you can't begin to know what it feels like. If you've never had to bury a daughter before she was old enough to ride a bicycle, you can't begin to know what it feels like.

The list could go on and on. Eventually, I would get to what weighs on your soul. You have friends who try to comfort you by saying, "I understand," but deep down you know they don't. They can't. Not without experiencing it for themselves, and you wouldn't wish that on them.

What that means, though, is that you are in a position to minister in a special way to people who are suffering the same thing that you have suffered in the past. God is able to use your past painful experiences to help others in a way that no one else can. If you have had to deal with an alcoholic family member, you are in a position to minister to others in that situation. If you have suffered the death of a young child, you are in a position to minister to others in that situation. If you have raised a child as a single parent, you are able to minister to others in that situation.

The list could go on and on. Eventually, I would get to what you have suffered in the past. It was painful. It was tough to get through. But having done so, be aware of the opportunities you now have to be of service to others. You know exactly how they feel. Let them know that.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Cor. 1:3-4)