...know

There are times when others' words only make our troubles worse. 

That may seem too elementary to mention, so why would I? Well, have you learned it? Are you still listening to everybody? If so, it's small wonder that you're confused.

There are times when God's ways only make us more confused. There, I've said it. I've been wanting to say that all through this chapter, and I finally worked up the courage. My point? Don't expect to understand everything that happens when it occurs.

I don't care if you have a Ph.D. you earned at Yale or in Scotland. Just stand in front of the mirror, all alone, nobody around, shrug, and say, "I don't know . . . I really don't know." You can add, "I can't tell you why that happened. I don't know." Repeat the words several times: "I don't know."

The great news is that God never shrugs. He never says that. With acute perception He says, "I know exactly why this happened. I know the way you take. I know why. I know how long you'll be there, and I know what will be the end result." Shrugging and deity are incompatible.

While you're shrugging in genuine humility, saying, "I don't know," He's saying, "Good for you. Rely on Me in the mystery. Trust Me." God never promised He would inform us all about His plan ahead of time; He's just promised He has one. Ultimately, it's for our good and His glory. He knows—we don't. That's why we shrug and admit, "I don't know." So, if you and I meet someday and you ask me a deep, difficult question, don't be surprised if I shrug and say, "I don't know."

But I do know this: The death of His Son was not in vain; Christ died for you; and if you believe in Him, He will forgive your sins, and you will go to live with Him forever. You'll have heaven and all the blessings of it, I do know that.

It's a tough journey, getting there. Full of confusion, struggle, shrugs, followed by a lot of "I don't knows." But when the heavens open and we're there, hey, there will be no more shrugs, and you'll be able to say, "Now I know!"

-charles swindoll

...sacrifice

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

...prickle

Around the turn of the century a young man named Ole took his girlfriend on a summer outing. They took a picnic lunch out to a picturesque island in the middle of a small lake. She wore a long dress with about a dozen petticoats. He was dressed in a suit with a high collar. Ole rowed them out to the island, dragged the boat on to the shore, and spread their picnic supplies beneath a shady tree. So hypnotized was he by her beauty that he hardly noticed the hot sun and perspiration on his brow. Softly she whispered to him, 'Ole, you forgot the ice cream.'

"Ole pulled the boat back to the water and rowed to shore. He found a grocery store nearby, bought the ice cream, and rowed back to the island. She batted long eyelashes over deep blue eyes and purred, 'Ole, you forgot the chocolate syrup.'

"Ole got back into the boat and returned to the store for syrup. As he rowed back toward the island, suddenly he stopped. He sat there in the boat the rest of the afternoon, fascinated by an idea. By the end of that afternoon, Ole Evinrude had invented the outboard motor. And by the way, Ole later married the girl who waited so long on the island."

As the old saying goes, when life presents you with a lemon, turn it into lemonade! For the Apostle Paul his "thorn in the flesh" (whatever it was) was used by God to keep him humble and effective in his work for the Lord. For me personally (as I've shared before), it was when I felt God put me on the shelf that I turned to writing for something to do--I'm still writing some forty years later. 

In every challenge, setback, failure, discouragement, there is an opportunity. When you face a daunting challenge or a major setback in your life, with strong desire, commitment to God's purpose for your life, and seeking his direction, you too will discover what your opportunity is.

-dick innes

...daily

Mac Anderson said, "After a speech one day, Zig Ziglar was approached by someone in the audience who said: 'Zig, it was a great speech, but ... motivation doesn't last.' 

To this Zig replied, 'Bathing doesn't either. That's why I recommend it daily!'"

The same principle applies to physical, relational, and spiritual motivation. 

It goes without saying that, whether we enjoy it or not, we need to make sure that we get adequate physical exercise every day. 

Equally important is that we make the effort to communicate our love to our loved ones through both our words and "random acts of kindness." Even more important is that we spend time with God in his Word, the Bible, and in prayer. All of these exercises are recommended for daily participation.

-www.arcamax.com

...opposite

A few years ago the psychology department of Duke University carried on an interesting experiment. They wanted to see how long rats could swim. In one container they placed a rat for whom there was no possibility of escape. He swam a few moments and then ducked his head to drown. In the other container they made the hope of escape a possibility for the rat. The rat swam for several hours before finally giving up. The conclusion of the experiment was just the opposite of our common conclusion. We usually say, "As long as there is life, there is hope." The Duke experiment proved, "As long as there is hope, there is life."

As the Word of God teaches: 

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life" proverbs 13:12. 

Thank God for the hope that every Christian has in Jesus Christ and his gift of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.

...ripple

"Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain."Philippians 2:16

Brett Blair reports how Henry P. Crowell contracted tuberculosis when a boy and couldn't go to school. After hearing a sermon by Dwight L. Moody, young Crowell prayed, "I can't be a preacher, but I can be a good businessman. God, if you will let me make money, I will use it in your service."

Under the doctor's advice Crowell worked outdoors for seven years and regained his health. He then bought the little run-down Quaker Mill at Ravanna, Ohio. Within ten years Quaker Oats was a household word to millions. Henry P. Crowell faithfully gave 60 to 70 percent of his income to God's causes, having advanced from an initial 10 percent.

One of the recipients of Crowell's support was the Moody Bible Institute—the school that D. L. Moody founded in Chicago. 

What you and I do today for God can also have a ripple effect and touch many other lives for years to come—and many for all eternity. So let's invest our time, our talents, and our life wisely, keeping eternal values in mind.

-dick innes

...every

For every hill I had to climb,

For every stone that bruised my feet,

For all the blood and sweat and grime,

For blinding storms and burning heat,

My heart sings but a grateful song—

Those were the things that made me strong.

For all the heartaches and the tears,

For all the anguish and the pain,

For gloomy days and fruitless years

And for the hopes that lived in vain;

I do give thanks, for now I know,

These were the things that helped me grow.

'Tis not the softer things of life

Which stimulate our will to strive,

But bleak adversity and strife

Do most to keep our will alive.

Over rose-strewn paths the weaklings creep,

But brave hearts dare to climb the steep.

–author unknown

...luckier

According to an old parable, Bart was caught inside his house during a flood. The water was a foot high when a rescue truck offered to evacuate him. Bart refused, saying, "God will provide."

The levee broke, and the water got so high he had to climb onto the roof. A man in a rowboat paddled by and urged him to get aboard. Again Bart refused. "God will provide."

Soon the waters rose so high that Bart had to climb on top of the chimney. But it wasn't enough, and the water swept him away. Bart shook his fist toward the sky. "God, why have you forsaken me?"

A helicopter pilot maneuvering to rescue Bart heard him and yelled back, "You fool, God sent you a truck, a boat, and this helicopter. Now use the arms He gave you and grab the rope!"

Bart reminds me of people who moan and whine about never getting the breaks other people get while passing up opportunities that could help them get what they want. Remember the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion who expected the Wizard of Oz to give them the one thing they thought they needed, only to find out they already had what they were looking for? 

Many of us greatly underestimate and underuse the power within us and the resources around us.

Wanting, wishing, and worrying aren't enough. 

Real success and personal happiness come to those who accept responsibility for their lives. 

They seize obvious opportunities, search out and find hidden ones, and when necessary, make their own. 

As golfer Gary Player once said, "It's amazing. The harder I practice, the luckier I get."

-character counts

prayer

the following prayer, was read by Rev. Joe Wright who delivered the opening prayer at a session of the Kansas House of Representatives in January of 1966. 

It was a version of a prayer written in 1995 by Bob Russell who had offered it at the Kentucky Governor's Prayer Breakfast in Frankfort.

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.

We know your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!'

...power

A teacher once wrote telling me that a parent with a great deal of clout at her school asked her to change attendance records to make her child's record look better. The teacher said she thought long and hard about the request but eventually refused, knowing it would make the parent angry.

I commended her moral courage. 

I wish it didn't take courage to do the right thing, especially in such a clear case as this, but in the real world people with power often retaliate when they don't get what they want. This can make our lives difficult.

Still, moral courage is the much-needed bodyguard of conscience and character. The personal costs of putting our integrity on the auction block are so high that we have to take the risk. Once we descend the slippery slope of moral compromise, it's hard to resist the inevitable slide.

My first instinct was to think of the parent who subjected the teacher to this corrupt and corrupting request as a villain, but I suspected she was a basically decent mom so intent on helping her child that she ignored her moral brakes.

But it's wrong to ask someone to lie or cheat. 

When it comes from someone with power, it's worse. 

Power is intimidating even when it's not used.

But unswerving integrity can also be intimidating. 

Improper requests deserve an immediate, firm, and dignified response that leaves no ambiguity that they're inappropriate. Be careful not to be self-righteous, though. Let the person worry about what you think of them. 

If they persist, let them—not you—worry about the consequences.

-character counts

...success

The research shows that when pastors evaluate the success of their church, 

they measure attendance, 

dollars raised, 

number of staff, 

number of programs and square footage. 

All of those are logical measures to explore. 

The only problem is that Jesus did not die a horrible and unjust death on the cross to fill sanctuaries, generate cash, populate programs, hire religious professionals, or build out campuses.

-george barna

...know

One of my many favorite quotes happens to be from a Buddhist monk who wisely said, "To know and not to do is not yet to know."

To translate this into our Christian terminology, we could put it this way: "To believe and not to act is not yet to believe because we only truly believe that which motivates us to action."

For instance, many of us say we want to weigh less than we do. But do we? Really? Very few of us ever eat anything we don't want to eat. And many of us don't take the time to exercise enough to keep to our desired weight. In reality, often what we think we want is just a wish! We only truly want something when we are willing to make the commitment and pay the price to achieve it.

Furthermore, if we say we believe that our friends, neighbors and people throughout the world are lost eternally without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and give nothing or do nothing to help take, send or give the gospel to them, we don't really believe this either.

And if I say I want to be made whole, and don't do what I need to do to be made whole, I choose by default not to be made whole. It is true regardless of who said it: "To know and not to do is not yet to know."

-richard innes

...full

Todd was a sadly quiet 11-year-old struggling to adjust to the death of his mother. His father had left long ago, and Todd was living with an aunt who made it known she resented the responsibility.

On several occasions, his teacher Sheryl heard his aunt tell him, "If it weren't for my generosity, you'd be a homeless orphan."

Sheryl took extra pains to make Todd feel valued in class, and encouraged his interest in making things. Just before Christmas break, Todd shyly presented her with a small decorated box he'd made.

"It's beautiful!" Sheryl gushed.

Todd replied, "There's something special inside that my mom gave me before she died. She said it's the one thing I can give and still have plenty left over. It helps you feel better when you're sad and safe when you're scared."

As Sheryl started to open the box, Todd warned her, "Oh, you can't see it."

"Well, what is it?" Sheryl asked kindly.

"It's love. You're the first person since my mom that I love."

Sheryl hugged Todd tightly and said, "I'll treasure this forever. It's the best gift I ever got."

She kept it on her desk until she retired, and touched it whenever she was sad or scared. It never failed to make her heart smile.

Years later, Todd sent her the tassel he wore during his graduation from medical school. It's been in the box ever since.

In truth, love—not diamonds—is the gift that keeps on giving. What's more, love generates itself. The more you give away, the more you have left.

-character counts

...marriage

When a male demands, a female reacts; she doesn't respond.

When a male gives, a female responds. 

When a male commits, a female submits. 

Nothing is more precious to a female than a committed male. 

Nothing is more depressing to a female than an uncommitted male. 

When a male abuses, a female refuses. 

Whenever a man abuses a woman, she refuses to respond. 

When a male shares, a female cares. 

If you find a man who is willing to share with the woman in his life, you will find a woman who is willing to care for her man.

When a male leads, a female follows.

When a man carries out his God-given responsibility for leadership, a woman responds by following his lead. Leadership does not mean being bossy, always telling others what to do. Good leaders lead by example, not by decree. 

Jesus led by example, and so did Moses, Peter, Paul, and all the other great leaders in the Bible. Leading by example means doing ourselves the things we wish others to do.

-mike benson

...sowing

One of William Barclay's friends tells this story. 

In the church where he worshiped there was a lonely old man, old Thomas. He had outlived all his friends and hardly anyone knew him. When Thomas died, this friend had the feeling that there would be no one to go to the funeral, so he decided to go, so that there might be someone to follow the old man to his last resting-place.

There was no one else, and it was a miserable wet day. The funeral reached the cemetery, and at the gate there was a soldier waiting. An officer, but on his raincoat there were no rank badges. He came to the gravesite for the ceremony, then when it was over, he stepped forward, and before the open grave swept his hand to a salute that might have been given to a king. The friend walked away with this soldier, and as they walked, the wind blew the soldier's raincoat open to reveal the shoulder badges of a brigadier general.

The general said, 

"You will perhaps be wondering what I am doing here. 

Years ago Thomas was my Sunday School teacher; I was a wild lad and a sore trial to him. 

He never knew what he did for me, but I owe everything I am or will be to old Thomas, and today I had to come to salute him at the end." 

Thomas did not know what he was doing.

-david e. leininger

...won't

"You shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him." Deuteronomy 13:4

When we read a command in the Bible, whether we understand it or not, we ought to obey it. The Bible is not first and foremost a book to be explained, it is a book to be believed and obeyed.

So many times we want to tell God how He ought to do things. I can imagine those early apostles when they first met Paul persecuting believers. Those well-meaning Christians could have been praying for God to strike Paul dead - But what did God do? He struck him alive! And aren’t you glad He did?

Don’t substitute human reasoning for obedience. God says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" Isaiah 55:8-9.

-adrian rogers

...hammer

Several years ago, on a program dedicated to the retirement of James and Shirley Dobson, Jim Daley spoke of a rally the team was attending when several youth began to jeer. Dr. Dobson paused in his talk, turned in their direction and with a quiet voice said, "I know you all have hurting hearts." The jeering stopped; and for the rest of the time, the youth sat listening to his every word. Mr. Daley then used a term which has remained with me -" Dr. Dobson hit them with a 'velvet hammer'."

Jesus too used a 'velvet hammer'. When Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, the captains and elders of the temple took Him away to the high priest's home.  All of Jesus disciples disappeared, fearing for their lives—all but one.  Peter, the impetuous fisherman who often spoke before thinking, was in the courtyard.

At one time, he told Jesus he would follow Him wherever He went. Peter even vowed to die for his Lord. Now, sitting by a fire to warm himself, Peter was confronted by a servant girl. "This man was also with Him." Peter denied knowing Jesus. Sometime later, another said, "You also are one of them."  Peter again responded negatively - "Man, I am not!" Imagine the battle going on in Peter's heart. Concern and love vying for position against fear and doubt.

An hour or so later, another confidently affirmed saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean." This time Peter began to curse and swear. "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" As he finished speaking, a rooster crowed. At that very time, the crowd dragging Jesus to the house passed by and Jesus looked at Peter. The velvet hammer struck Peter's heart. He went out and wept bitterly. Luke22:54-62

With just a look, Peter recalled the words of Jesus when He said, "Before the rooster crows you will deny Me three times." Fear had won the battle and now Peter was a broken man.

Dr. Dobson explained to the hurting youth that broken hearts could be mended with the love of Jesus. After His resurrection, Jesus showed Peter that his broken heart could be mended too. Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" and when Peter really thought about it and from his heart of hearts said yes, Jesus said, "Feed My sheep."John 21:15-17

There are times when fear wins in our hearts too and we deny our Lord by silence, by going along with the crowd, by ignoring the still small voice of conviction or counsel. We can, however, rest assured, with heartfelt repentance and a desire to live for the Lord, we can be forgiven and the Lord will use us for His purposes. Praise God for the 'velvet hammer.' May we be in tune with the discipline of our heavenly Father and like Peter, move forward to do the work set before us.

-pat earl

yes...

Many years ago, while watching a little TV on Sunday, I watched a church in Atlanta vetting one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. He was 92 at that time, and I wondered why the church bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age. 

After a warm welcome, as the applause quieted down, he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gate to the podium. Without a note or written paper of any kind, he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself, and then quietly and slowly he began to speak:

"When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50 odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days, and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me ... the only thing that would comfort was this verse from the children's hymn:

"Jesus loves me this I know

For the Bible tells me so 

Little ones to him belong 

We are weak but he is strong. 

Yes, Jesus loves me 

Yes, Jesus loves me 

Yes, Jesus loves me

The Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet. 

You actually could hear his footsteps as he shuffled back to his chair. 

I don't believe I will ever forget it.

-bob/janice reese

...hand

In reflection, I can't get along without some help along the way. It's not that I would get into trouble, nor that I couldn't handle a job, it's just that I need a helping hand. The mark of a man in our society is that he can accomplish great things by himself, but when his life is over, he leaves a large stone monument, and is soon forgotten.

As a Christian, a small headstone and good character is a better legacy. 

We generally remember those who gave a helping hand in time of need, for life goes better when we are gracious with our words, and generous with our deeds.

Ezra, was well versed in the laws of Moses. A descendant of Aaron, Ezra lived what he taught and, because of his stature as a teacher, was ordained by King Artaxerxes to go to Jerusalem.

A contingent of Jews several decades earlier had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the foundations of the temple. The work was tedious and difficult, but they needed to learn how to worship God. They needed someone to guide them in the laws of God given to Moses. This was the job for Ezra; and he said he was ready to go.

He, along with about 1500 other men and families, camped for three days before starting out. They fasted and prayed for safety on their trip, a journey of perhaps 1000 miles. The trip took four months of travel through dangerous desert areas, home to robbers and bandits. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, he said that the gracious hand of God was upon them, for they were carrying tons of gold and silver; freewill gifts destined to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

In practical application the "gracious hand of God" means that when God has a task for us, he has already prepared us. For some, preparation time may be extensive. In Ezra's case, he remained in Babylon until he was needed in Jerusalem. God watches over us and protects us from unknown terror, providing everything we need for our journey. 

Today, we may be called upon to do a small job or a big task because we've been prepared—prepared to help a friend, or a neighbor. Tomorrow you may be called upon to do something in a small, seemingly insignificant way, for it is the gracious hand of God leading you. The key is to be available, for when you extend your helping hand, you're extending the gracious hand of God.

-gary kallio

...motivation

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the discontent

in my life: 

the disappointments, 

the pain. 

the sad times, 

the trying times, 

the tough times, 

the failures, 

the many setbacks, 

as well as all the good times,

and all the many successes.

For without feeling sorrow and pain, 

I never would have searched for

answers to life's problems, 

healing for the sick, 

hope for the discouraged, 

comfort for the sorrowing, 

or relief for the lonely. 

And without experiencing failure

and discouragement, 

I never would have searched for

better ways for doing things. 

and thus improving everything I do.

Pain was thus a holy motivator, 

God's messenger in disguise, 

that made me stretch and grow.

-dick innes

...excellence

As I watched nearly five dozen eager graduates of the Los Angeles Police Academy throw their hats in the air, celebrating their achievement, I knew these were the survivors of a rigorous training and their journey wasn't over.

Ahead of them would be a full year of supervised field training, and it's unlikely all of them would make it through their probation.

It's difficult to cut hard-working and hopeful probationers, but if an organization wants to create a culture of excellence, its gatekeepers (those in charge of hiring, training, retention, and promotion) must exercise clear-eyed objectivity and demonstrate unflinching courage by weeding out those who are unwilling or unable to excel.

In policing, as in many other fields, the stakes are simply too high to knowingly accept less. No one wants a surgeon, teacher, or cop with mediocre skills or shaky character.

Yet everywhere we see signs of declining standards. Public and private organizations regularly lower their expectations due to political expediency, misplaced loyalty, forced diversity, or perceived necessity. Adequacy has become the shifting standard defined as "the best we can get."

Two results are inevitable when we lower standards: 

1. the quality of service continually sinks as fewer people strive for the best within them, 
2. mediocrity becomes the norm as good people move up and out, leaving behind a growing proportion of so-so performers.

Two results are inevitable when we insist on excellence: 

1. performance increases as everyone does better than they otherwise would, 
2. some people will be asked to leave.

Management can avoid its responsibility, but it can't dodge the consequences of shirking it. Excellence is achievable, but not without sacrifice and discipline.

-character counts

...love

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 

'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?' 

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.' 

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.' 

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. 

True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

-douglas roman

...lips

A store manager heard his clerk tell a customer, 

"No, ma'am, we haven't had any for a while, and it doesn't look as if we'll be getting any soon."

Horrified, the manager came running over to the customer and said, 

"Of course we'll have some soon! We placed an order last week."

Then the manager drew the clerk aside. 

"Never," he snarled, "Never, never, never, say we're out of anything; 

say we've got it on order and it's coming. Now, what was it she wanted anyway?"

The clerk said, "Rain."

"Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight" Proverbs 12:22.

-kneemail

iraq

The Garden of Eden was in Iraq.

Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization.

Noah built the ark in Iraq.

The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.

Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq.

Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq.

Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.

Jonah preached in Nineveh—which is in Iraq.

Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.

Amos cried out in Iraq.

Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.

Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq.

The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the Fiery Furnace!).

Belshazzar, the King of Babylon, saw the 'writing on the wall' in Iraq.

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.

Ezekiel preached in Iraq.

The wise men were from Iraq.

Peter preached in Iraq.

The 'Empire of Man' described in Revelation is called Babylon—which was a city in Iraq.

Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq!

The names used in the Bible for Iraq are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq means country with deep roots.

Indeed, Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated with it than Iraq.

-ed bradley

...eternity

If you happened to watch the world-wide TV New Year's Eve 2000 celebrations a decade ago, you would have seen, not only the impressive fireworks display in Sydney (Australia), but also emblazoned in extremely large neon writing right across the Sydney Harbor Bridge the word, "Eternity."

This word was in celebration of the "work and witness" of sidewalk chalk artist (if that's what you could call him), Arthur Malcolm Stace, who became affectionately known as "Mr. Eternity."

"July 30 of this year marked the 43rd anniversary of the death of Arthur Stace. Born in 1884 into a drunken Australian family, Arthur described what he'd become, "a petty criminal, a bum, and a metho (metholated spirits alcohol) drinker."

"His new birth from an old life in crime and sin to a new life in Christ and service took place on the night of August 6, 1930.

"This spiritual turn around occurred after he heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached faithfully by Rev. R.D.S. Hammond at St Barnabas church in Broadway, Sydney. Twelve years later, on a Sunday night, November 14, 1942, at his home church in Darlinghurst, as he sat listening to 'The Echoes of Eternity' proclaimed forthrightly by Australia's beloved evangelist—the late Rev. John G. Ridley—Stace was challenged to go out and write with chalk the word Eternity multiplied thousands of times on city sidewalks. This he did continuously and consistently for the next quarter of century till he died on July 30, 1967.

"By the time Arthur Stace was called to exit this world, he had left behind a legacy of an enormous value in the copperplate writing of one word—Eternity.

"God took his tool—a piece of chalk—his text of one word, Eternity, and his territory of one pavement at a time in Sydney, and multiplied it abundantly.

It was witnessed first by many thousands in Sydney, Woolongong, Newcastle, and Melbourne. Then on the eve of the new millennium celebration, more than a million people who crammed around the Sydney Harbor Bridge saw it electronically emblazoned across the bridge of our Olympic city after a spectacular display of fireworks. It was also beamed around the world to more than two billion viewers, as well as at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games later on in the year."

Eternity. It is a powerful word with eternal consequences. In his own simple but profound way, Arthur Stace was posing the question, "Where will you spend eternity?"

-richard innes

...parents

A hit number in the 1960 play Bye Bye Birdie began with a classic parent's lament: "I don't know what's wrong with these kids today. Why can't they be like we were?"

The answer, of course, is they're just like we were. Sometimes that's good, often it's not. Every generation of kids coping with raging hormones and a need to express independence and individuality will use language, wear clothes, listen to music, and dance in ways that may offend their parents. Many will engage in conduct that their parents think is wrong or unwise.

Should modern parents just relax and let kids do their thing, confident that no lasting harm will come of it? I don't think so.

Sure, we should recognize the inherent limitations of parenting and the futility and impropriety of trying to control every phase of our children's lives, but that doesn't justify passive or permissive parenting. Although we can't control our kids, we can influence them. And when necessary, we can confine their options by saying no and backing it up with whatever tools we have.

Parents may disagree on where to draw the line when it comes to sloppy or sexy clothing, Internet use, loud music with crude lyrics, and body piercing and tattoos, but lines must be drawn somewhere and enforced. This is particularly important regarding issues about alcohol, drugs, and sex. Kids need and deserve guidance and boundaries.

Our children won't necessarily accept our views of right and wrong, but if we state them clearly and continually, they're more likely to consider them.

-character counts

...brink

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.

You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.

You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

-william j. h. boetcker 

...mentor

We all have at some point in our life had at least one mentor that has touched our lives with such an impact and virtually served as a guide, example, role model and teacher, that prevails through the test of time and has influenced our life in making us the man or woman we are today. Some of us can reflect back in our lives and realize that we may have been blessed with more than one mentor.

A mentor is anyone who, even for but a moment, may have said or done something in your life that you will never forget, that has built your character for the better, and has served as a motivator to give one the incentive to thereby spread the knowledge and love to others. Then this will enable you to create a positive energy of imparting to others that which you have learned and experienced in life.

A mentor could have been a teacher, a college professor, a friend, a parent, a sibling, a business associate, or even a total stranger. I am one who has been blessed to have had more than one mentor. I would have to say that the key mentors in my life are GOD, our Lord Jesus Christ, my parents, the renowned radio and TV talk show host, Mr. Joe Franklin, and the works and writings of Mr. Napoleon Hill, all have greatly influenced my life.

Being a mentor encompasses an extreme amount of responsibilities. One must look into the mirror of their soul and ask him or herself, who am I, where am I going with my life, what do I want out of life, am I getting there and most importantly, if I am NOT getting there, WHY? For the most part, one can be his or her own worst enemy and can sabotage their own happiness, which prevents them from reaching and achieving their goals in life. "Be true to thine own self" which means to look into your own heart, examine yourself, be steadfast in your affirmations, and then one can set an example to manifest and emulate goodness to others.

Make the most of your life because we all have an expiration date, and as Charles Shultz once said, "Just be your beautiful self, because everyone else is taken." We are living in times that are surrounded by our country at war, the threat of terrorism, starvation, homelessness, crime, tragedies, abuse to children, the elderly and animals, as well as overall worldwide crisis affecting all of us.

What a better world it would be if we could only turn back the hands of time and remember when "under the gun" meant you were under pressure instead of a weapon being pointed at your face; when "having a record" meant you had music to listen to pressed on a piece of vinyl rather than a rap sheet with the law enforcement; when "on the run" meant you were busy rather than on the lam eluding the authorities; when "a dude" denoted you worked on a ranch; when "dope" was a vicious slang word for someone who was not intelligent rather than a drug; when "to kill" meant that you had a really good gig or a presentation rather than to take someone's life; when "being gay" meant you were happy; when "having time" meant you had time to spare rather than a prison sentence; when "crack" was a fault or crevice in a sidewalk or building and not a destructive drug; when "acid" was something that built up in your stomach causing indigestion rather than a hallucinating drug; when "pot" was something you cooked in; when "rap" was something you did with a present; when "Coke" was the number one soft drink of America and not a drug that destroys lives; when "ecstasy" was something you felt when you asked a girl out to go to the prom with you and she said YES, and gave you a goodnight kiss instead of a deadly high from a lethal drug; and when "abortion" was to put the brakes on a plan or mission that was in motion rather than destroying the life of an unborn child.

The lingo today sends out strong signals and is representative of the thoughts that helps pattern the lives of today's youth. Let us all concentrate on sending out a positive message to our youth for they are our future, and let us be careful of our choice of words and how we conduct our lives, which will ultimately, in the long run, help mold theirs. Let us put away hatred, prejudice and violence out of our lives and, as the lyrics from the song by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young so aptly put it, "Teach Your Children Well." The Bible states, "Nourish them in the way of the Lord and they will not depart from it." I am sure that motivator, Mr. Napoleon Hill, would place his blessing and validate these principles.

With knowledge, get understanding; with understanding, get wisdom, and go out and mentor someone you love today! GOD bless you all. Peace and love.

-pete deLorenzo

...storm

One night while my young son, Ryan, was sleeping, a storm began brewing outside.  After a loud clap of thunder, I heard him wake up so I headed toward his room to comfort him.  He asked me to stay with him until he fell asleep.  

As I lay there I realized he hadn't asked me to make the storm go away, but to stay with him.  How many times, I wondered, have I asked God to take away the storms of life, when instead I need to ask him to stay with me and help me weather them more peacefully?

What a beautiful thought!

"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 Corinthians 1:3-4.

Father, we do indeed pray for your comforting presence in the storms of our lives.  As much as we might desire for the storms to go away, it is much important to us that you remain with us and see us through the storms. Thank you for your assurance that you will do that for us.  In Jesus' name, amen.

-kim sherer 

tapestry

A missionary was traveling in the Far East when he came across a booth in a market place. It was a tapestry maker's booth. As he walked by he saw a strange sight. A man was standing in the booth shouting at his loom on the other side of the booth. As he shouted threads appeared in the tapestry almost by magic. The missionary asked his guide for an explanation.

"The man you see," said the guide, "Is a master weaver. He is speaking to his apprentice behind the loom telling him what color thread to use and where to put it. Only the weaver knows the entire design, so it is vital that the apprentice do exactly as the master commands."

"Does the apprentice ever make a mistake?" asked the missionary.

"Of course. But the weaver is a very kind man in this case and he will rarely have the boy take out the thread. Instead, being a great artist, he simply works the mistake into the design."

How much that is like God. We cannot see the pattern of the tapestry God is weaving. We are on the other side of the loom looking at knotted threads placed seemingly without purpose. Occasionally we can catch a glimpse of the design, but then as soon as we think we have it pegged the master calls for a thread which changes every thing. So, we have to trust the master weaver that he knows what he is doing.

And like the apprentice, we, too make our mistakes. We put in a red thread instead of a violet one. We knot it in the wrong place or place it crookedly. And God in his mercy doesn't upbraid us but takes our own mistakes and make them part of the design.