...mummy

John D. Rockefeller Sr. was strong and husky when small. He was raised a devout Christian but was determined early in life to earn money and drove himself to the limit. At age 33 he earned his first million dollars. At age 43 he controlled Standard Oil, the biggest company in the world. At age 53 he was the richest man on Earth and the world’s only billionaire.

Then he developed a sickness called “alopecia,” where the hair of his head dropped off, and his eyelashes and eyebrows disappeared. He became deeply depressed over his appearance, compounded by his constant stress, and looked like a shrunken mummy. His weekly income was one million dollars, but he digested only milk and crackers. He was so hated in Pennsylvania that he had to have bodyguards day and night. He could not sleep; he stopped smiling and enjoyed nothing in life. 

The doctors predicted he would not live more than a year. Gleefully anticipating his demise, the newspapers had written his obituary in advance. Those sleepless nights set him thinking. A Christian friend told him if he did not begin to share his mounting wealth it would crush him like an avalanche. He realized with a new light that he “could not take one dime into the next world.” Money was not everything.

The next morning found him a new man. He began to help churches with his amassed wealth; the poor and needy were not overlooked. He established the Rockefeller Foundation, which funded medical research that led to the discovery of penicillin and other wonder drugs. John D. began to sleep well, eat, and enjoy life. The doctors had predicted he would not live over age 54. He died at age 98. 

God understands the power of our thinking. When we focus on ourselves, we will become the most miserable of all people. But when we live to give, health will come into our lives. “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” Proverbs 17:22. Solomon, once the wealthiest man in the world, wrote this Bible verse. John D. Rockefeller discovered its truth. 

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

"Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark 8:36-37

-douglas batchelor

....f a t

 "I sought for a man among them who would build up a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one." (Ezekiel 22:30)

 

Whenever God has a job to do and a gap to be filled, he always starts by choosing and calling an individual. While men use methods, God's methods are men and women.

 

To start a nation to use as his special witness on earth, God chose and called Abraham to be the father of ancient Israel. When God wanted to lead this young nation out of slavery in Egypt, he chose and called Moses. And so it was with Joseph, Samuel, Esther, David, John the Baptist, Mary, Peter, Paul and scores of other lesser known individuals.

 

God today is still urgently looking for people who are willing to stand in the gap to help save lost souls from a lost and hopeless eternity and to do his work here on earth. The kind of people God is looking for, chooses, and calls are F - A - T people. That is: Faithful... Available... Teachable...

 

F - Faithful

You don't have to be a Peter, Paul or a John the Baptist for God to use. Think of the twelve disciples. What a motley crew - rugged fishermen, a despised tax gatherer and the like - they were. God uses other ordinary people like them too, people who daily trust their life and way to God and, with his help, seek to serve and obey him faithfully in all the circumstances of life.

 

A - Available

Years ago I told God that I was too afraid to be a witness for Him and that I was quitting. "However, God," I prayed, "if you want to use me to share the gospel with others, I'm available, but you'll have to do it through me because I'm too scared."  The result?  Today God is us to reach thousands around the world with the gospel and Christian message every day. This is because we made - and make ourselves available every day - for God to use. He will in some way do the same for you if you daily make yourself available to Him to use.

 

T - Teachable

One reason God used the disciples was, not only because they were faithful and available, but also because they were teachable. Naturally they spent three years with the Master Teacher par Excellence and had a lot to learn about the Christian way, especially because it was brand new to them and everyone else in their day.

 

We also need to be teachable and learn God's ways more clearly by studying and knowing what his Word, the Bible, teaches and applying the principles found therein in our living everyday.

 

So, if you want God to use you to be a part of what he is doing in your world today, I urge you to pray and tell God you are available and renew that prayer and commitment every day.

-david langerfeld

 

...next

When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors," he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah." 1 Samuel 23:1-2

The Philistines were great adversaries of the Israelites; David was a mighty warrior and with God's help had been successful in defeating the Philistines on many occasions. He had confidence in his calling as a warrior, in his abilities as a warrior, and in God to help him in battle. Yet, when once again the Philistines were causing trouble, David did not rely on his directions or past success. One more time, he sought God's face. He did not assume to know what God wanted him to do. He asked.

How often do you ask God what to do?

Do you assume to know what He wants based on past experience and make the decision yourself?

Are you quick to rush into action and then later ask God to join you?

Try asking God first and see how much easier things get. After all, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End Rev. 22:13. 

Don't you think He has a better idea of what's next?

-sheree motola 

5:13

I’ve been reading the book of Joshua recently and noticed a new “beginning”to the familiar account of the battle of Jericho. In the children Sabbath school bible lessons, the story always started in chapter six with God telling the Israelites to walk around Jericho for seven days before the walls “came tumblin’ down.” This time, I realized the story actually starts at the end of chapter five.

Joshua is “near the city”—a risky place for an enemy commander to be. In fact, I wondered what he was doing there. Was he on a reconnaissance mission? Was he studying the city walls, trying to come up with a plan of attack?

Suddenly, Joshua is interrupted when he looks up and sees a man in front of him holding a drawn sword. His battle instincts triggered, Joshua walks forward with a challenge: “Are you for us or our enemies?”

How does the man answer?  “Neither, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”  Neither? 

Joshua’s take on the situation had been clear: “This man is either for me or against me.” But that “neither” blew his friend-or-foe categories out of the water. The passage reveals that it is not just a man but God who was in front of Joshua - and God isn’t bound by “option A or option B” thinking.

“Take off your shoes,” Joshua hears, “for the place where you are standing is holy.”  And soon Joshua is standing barefoot in the middle of holiness as God outlines His battle plan.

I don’t know about you, but I often get stuck in “this or that” mode: 

People are either friends or foes. 

A situation is right or wrong. 

I can only choose between Door 1 or Door 2. 

Sometimes I even batter away at God, trying to get Him to tell me which option He’s going to identify with. Joshua’s story reminds me that God may be replying to my “This or that?" questions with, “Neither.”

And just maybe, He would like me to recognize His presence, take off my shoes, and stand still for a while on holy ground so He can outline a perspective I’d never have considered otherwise.

-connie willems

...tragedy

Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. Clark and his wife worked and saved, making plans for their nine children and themselves to travel to the United States. It had taken years, but they had finally saved enough money and had gotten passports and reservations for the whole family on a new liner to the United States.

The entire family was filled with anticipation and excitement about their new life. However, seven days before their departure, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor sewed up the boy but hung a yellow sheet on the Clarks' front door. Because of the possibility of rabies, they were being quarantined for fourteen days.

The family's dreams were dashed. They would not be able to make the trip to America as they had planned. The father, filled with disappointment and anger, stomped to the dock to watch the ship leave - without the Clark family. The father shed tears of disappointment and cursed both his son and God for their misfortune.

Five days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland - the mighty Titanic had sunk. The unsinkable ship had sunk, taking hundreds of lives with it. The Clark family was to have been on that ship, but because the son had been bitten by a dog, they were left behind in Scotland.

When Mr. Clark heard the news, he hugged his son and thanked him for saving the family. He thanked God for saving their lives and turning what he had felt was a tragedy into a blessing.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

-doug batchelor

remember

The Will of God will never take you... 

Where the grace of God cannot keep you, 

Where the arms of God cannot support you, 

Where the hands of God cannot mold you. 

Where the power of God cannot endow you. 

The will of God will never take you... 

Where the spirit of God cannot work through you, 

Where the riches of God cannot supply you, 

Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you, 

Where the army of God cannot protect you, 

The will of God will never take you... 

Where the love of God cannot enfold you, 

Where the mercy of God cannot sustain you, 

Where the Word of God cannot feed you, 

Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you. 

The will of God will never take you... 

Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears, 

Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears, 

Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you, 

Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

....remember!

...waves

They build up under the surface of the water, becoming larger and larger as the moments tick away. Then they crest, roll over, make a very loud noise, bubble and foam, then finally dissipate. This is the pattern of the wave as I have observed it this week while on vacation at the beach. Waves at the beach are never ending. One is gone, and the next rolls in, one after another. Some are larger and louder than others, but they keep rolling into shore.

I believe life's problems are like that. They build up, peak, and dissipate. They may be large, small, or in-between, but they keep on coming. They may crash your life with a resounding bang or make a more soft and subtle noise, but they keep on coming. They may deal with emotions, health, finances, family relationships, or a variety of other difficulties one must face in a lifetime, but they keep on coming.

As long as we live in this world, we will face one dilemma after another, be it large or small. The unending load gets heavy after a while, and the waves of life can beat away at a person the same as ocean waves pound at the shoreline. Jesus has told us to come to Him with our burdens and He will give us rest. 

He said to cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. 

He said He would send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter and guide; to give us wisdom and the strength to survive the battering waves of life. 

He promised this in the Bible to all who will reach out to Him and believe in Him.

If the constant waves of life are beating you down, depleting life's energy out of you, like the grains of sand that are pulled back into the ocean with each wave, call upon Jesus. He will answer the call - you can count on Him.

-david langerfeld

...enough

"The great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer... I mean those who take time and pray." S.D. Gordon

 

It was a frightening experience. My wife and I had never seen it happen to one of our children. It all began ten years ago when our son, Aaron, contracted the flu. Standing up to his strong will, we urged him to stay in bed throughout the weekend. On Sunday morning I went to church by myself while my wife stayed home with Aaron and our daughter, Shannon. It was an uneventful morning -- until I arrived home from church.

 

As I walked into our front door, my wife rushed to meet me with these words: "You wouldn't believe what happened this morning. Aaron's fever shot up suddenly and he began to have a seizure." While I was enjoying worship at church, our house was filled with firemen and paramedics. It was a terrifying moment for Susan and our daughter as they witnessed this six-year old boy shake with convulsions. What a relief it was to us when the seizures stopped and the medical personnel felt it was safe to leave him.

 

The one incident that stands out for me that morning is when Aaron first began to have the seizure. Susan immediately turned to Shannon, who was three at the time, and said, "Start praying for your brother." This miniature prayer warrior promptly leaped up, ran to our bedroom, got on her knees and began praying for her big brother. Realizing Aaron was in danger, Shannon fervently prayed for God to heal him. She took prayer very seriously.

 

I want you picture our young daughter on her knees, pleading with God to take care of Aaron. Then imagine yourself kneeling by your bed, entering the throne room of the living God, and pleading on behalf of a person you love whose soul is endangered.

 

Tucked away in the book of Colossians is the name of a man whom the apostle Paul held in high esteem. This man wasn't known necessarily for his great teaching. Paul didn't commend him for how he preached or for the many souls he won to Jesus Christ. His notoriety came not from how he stood before crowds and talked about the resurrected Lord, but how he knelt before the King of Kings and prayed for others.

 

His name was Epaphras. Paul mentions him three times. The apostle called him a faithful servant of Christ Colossians 1:7 and a fellow prisoner with Paul Philemon 1:23. The description of this godly man that stands out to me in bold print is that he was known simply as a man who was "always wrestling in prayer" for others Colossians 4:12.

 

What about you? Have you been "wrestling in prayer for others? 

Why not start right now? Get a notepad and begin to keep track of those around you who need your prayers and begin praying for them everyday.

-jim clark

...blinding

“Then she cried out, ‘Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!’ When he woke up, he thought, ‘I will do as before and shake myself free.’ But he didn’t realize the LORD had left him.”

—Judges 6:20

One of the saddest statements in the Bible is this one: “But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him” Judges 6:20.

This refers to Samson, who lost touch with God. It culminated with Delilah shaving his head as he slept. Samson’s power, however, was not in his long hair. Rather, it was in his commitment to God, which his long hair symbolized. Samson didn’t know it, but he already was in a state of decline that had been taking place over a period of years. This is so typical of a person who’s in a state of spiritual decline. Sometimes, they’re the last to know.

That’s because sin blinds us. And that’s why we need Christian friends who will tell us the truth, friends who are willing to say, “I see this area in your life, and you need to be extra careful there.”  We should thank God if we have friends like that because we can have blind spots in our lives. For example, I know of men and women who left a loving spouse and children for some stupid fling.

That’s the blinding factor of sin. There can be an excitement the first time you do the thing you’re not supposed to. But you’re not thinking it through. You’re not thinking about the repercussions that are about to come. Samson ultimately faced the repercussions of his sin. The Bible tells us, “So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison” Judges 6:21. Then we read, “But before long, his hair began to grow back” verse 22. It’s saying that God gives second chances. 

There’s hope—even after you fail.

-gregory laurie

...prayer

When George McCluskey married and started a family, he decided to invest one hour a day in prayer, because he wanted his kids to follow Christ.  After a time, he expanded his prayers to include his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Every day between 11 a.m. and noon, he prayed for the next three generations.

As the years went by, his two daughters committed their lives to Christ and married men who went into full-time ministry. The two couples produced four girls and one boy. Each of the girls married a minister, and the boy became a pastor.  The first two children born to this generation were both boys. Upon graduation from high school, the two cousins chose the same college and became roommates.

During their sophomore year, one boy decided to go into the ministry.  The other didn't. He undoubtedly felt some pressure to continue the family legacy, but he chose instead to pursue his interest in psychology. He earned his doctorate and eventually wrote books for parents that became bestsellers. He started a radio program heard on more than a thousand stations each day. 

The man's name.......  James Dobson - Christian author, teacher, leader and founder of "Focus on the Family." 

Through his prayers, George McCluskey affected far more than one family.  

Never underestimate the power of prayer.

-david langerfeld

...real

Then Jesus told him (Thomas), "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  John 20:29

A few people drifted into the kitchen before the meeting, commenting one after another about the plant on the counter.  “I can’t believe that’s real!”  “Is that orchid real?”  “Oh wow, that can’t be real.” Yes it was real, a beautiful gift about three years earlier from friends. Each year since it had bloomed magnificently. In between the flowering times, I placed it outside by the deck. There, in its ‘hibernation phase’, it could rest and prepare to bloom again.

“Could that be real?” A question posed a couple thousand years ago, and sometimes still today.

“Did Jesus really die? It looked so real.” Yes, He did really die, from the horrendous death of crucifixion. And, “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?” Yes He did!!!   Many persons witnessed and spoke with the resurrected Christ. It is true and a fact that Jesus died and was resurrected to life in three days. This was all predicted and prophesied hundreds of years prior

It looked so real because it was real. 

Thank God! He is risen, He is risen indeed; today we have a living Savior.

That is GOOD NEWS!!!

-sally kennedy

....saw

 I saw Jesus last week.

He was wearing blue jeans and an old shirt.

He was up at the church building;

He was alone and working hard.

For just a minute he looked a little like one of our members.

But it was Jesus . . . I could tell by his smile.

I saw Jesus last Saturday(Sabbath).

He was teaching a Bible class.

He didn't talk real loud or use long words,

But you could tell he believed what he said.

For just a minute, he looked like my Bible teacher.

But it was Jesus . . . I could tell by his loving voice.

I saw Jesus yesterday.

He was at the hospital visiting a friend who was sick.

They prayed together quietly.

For just a minute he looked like Brother Jones.

But it was Jesus... I could tell by the tears in his eyes.

I saw Jesus this morning.

He was in my kitchen making my breakfast

and fixing me a special lunch.

For just a minute he looked like my mom.

But it was Jesus... I could feel the love from his heart.

I see Jesus everywhere,

Taking food to the sick ...

Welcoming others to his home, Being friendly to a newcomer ...

& for just a minute, I think he's someone I know.

But it's always Jesus... I can tell by the way he serves.

May someone see Jesus in you today

-author unknown

...it

The LORD said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by' 1 Kings 19:11

"I don't believe that God is in it," I said to my friend. A situation had arisen in which another friend was about to engage in something they felt God was leading them into. Later, the truth of the situation was revealed and our friend made a bad mistake. God was not in it.

Elijah was in a crisis in his ministry. God had just corrected him about his perspective of his situation. If any man needed a touch from God, it was Elijah because he was in such distress he wanted to die.

The Lord intervened and told Elijah that He was coming to talk to him. However, God did not tell Elijah how He was going to reveal Himself. It was up to Elijah to tell whether God was in the situations about to take place.

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave 1 Kings 19:11-13.

We often think God is in our grand projects only to discover that He is not. We may also assume because of the success or visibility of a situation that God is in it. He may, in fact, be in the project. However, God's ways are not always highly visible. Sometimes He chooses to come in the soft, gentle whisper. It is sometimes difficult to recognize it as the Lord because He shows Himself in such subtle ways.

We need to be able to discern when God is actually part of our situation and when "the Lord is not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire".  Ask God today for wisdom and discernment in knowing exactly when He is involved and leading you and when He is not.  Seek to follow Him and Him alone in everything you do.  Don't trust your own "feelings" or "cirmcumstances" and assume God is leading you.  Trust only His Word - and as you faithfully read his Word, you will hear the "whisper of His Voice".      

-os hillman

...prodigal

 “This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.”Jonah 4:1

Sometimes people worry about new believers not changing quickly enough, but I’m more concerned with older converts who have stopped growing in Christ.

New believers are still figuring out their newfound faith. Maybe they’re a little rough around the edges. Maybe some profanity slips out from time to time, or they haven’t completely gotten rid of some old vices. You think they have a little growing to do, and that is understandable.

What concerns me is the person who has known the Lord for years and stopped growing in Christ a long time ago. What’s more, they’ve become crankier and meaner, yet they quote the Bible all the time.

They’re bitter and very critical. Their new form of ministry seems to be tearing other people down. They’re using the passion they once had for evangelism to critique other Christians.

What happened to them? How did they end up in that state?

They’ve stagnated in their walk with Christ. They’re no longer making growing.

Jonah was a mature believer. He should have known better, but he was having a relapse. In effect, Jonah was a prodigal prophet. And he was angry and bitter toward God.

People can be used in remarkable ways by God, yet they can make big mistakes and commit sins afterward. We see this in the lives of Abraham, Moses, Samson, David, and Simon Peter.

Jonah was waiting for judgment to fall on Nineveh, and mercy fell instead. In the same way, some Christians are more concerned with their comfort than with the people still in darkness.

If we don’t get excited when a lost person comes to Jesus, then we need to ask God to change our hearts.

-adapted from gregory laurie's Prodigal Prophet 

...gift

 There's an old story of a young man who about to graduate from college. Whether the story is just an illustration or the depiction of an actual event, it's still a great lesson to consider. 

It seems that for many months the young man had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and his father could well afford to buy it. He told his father that the car was the only thing he wanted.  As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.  Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study, His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him.  He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.  Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.  He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but throughout all of those years, he had not once talked with his father since that graduation day.

He received a telegram telling him that his father had passed away and he needed to come home immediately.  When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled is heart.  As he search through his father's papers for insurance, he saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.

With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matthew 7:11, "And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly father who is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?" As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had so desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words "PAID IN FULL."

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?   God has blessings hidden for us everywhere in all kinds of packages, in all shapes and sizes. Today, unwrap all the blessings that God has given to you!

-david langerfeld

...heart

Has God performed a heart test on you lately? 

There are times in our lives when God leads us into the desert in order to let us find out what is in our heart. These times can be very difficult and humbling. They can test our mettle like no other time. Desert times often mean we are living without those things we are normally accustomed to: water, food, limited supplies - and with few comforts. In modern terms, it may mean a different environment. God is performing a very important work during these times. He wants to know if we can be obedient to Him in these times; or will we be obedient only when times are good?

"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you" Deuteronomy 8:3-5.

These desert times may mean experiencing new ways of provision from the Lord. Like manna from Heaven, it may mean seeing miracles we've never seen before. Like clothing that never wears out, it may mean seeing your normal capabilities expanded. Like walking hundreds of miles without pain, desert experiences provide new lessons and new experiences that only these times can teach us.

What desert experience has He brought into your life lately? 

Perhaps it is a lean time in business. 

Perhaps it is a new environment. 

Whatever it is, when God decides to bring new disciplines into our lives by bringing us into the desert, do not fear the heat that is sure to come. He is walking beside you in order to test you and find out what is really in your heart. Ask for His grace to pass the test. He wants to bring all of His children into the Promised Land.

-david langerfeld

politics

While walking down the street one day, a Senator was tragically hit by a car and died. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really? I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course.

 

In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven...

So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time   and before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell." So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell...

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls to the ground. The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.

"I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil smiles at him and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today, you voted.”

-whitby j r

...for

Discouraging things can happen when you follow Jesus. Life doesn’t always go the way you hoped it would go. Tragedies befall you. People let you down. You ask questions that go unanswered, and sometimes you wonder if you can keep going.

But whom did you sign up to follow? I signed up, if you will, to follow Jesus. Jesus always has been what He promised to be for me. He’s never failed me once. He’s never let me down. And He’s the author and finisher of my faith, which means that God finishes what He starts.

He started a work in your life, and He wants to continue it. But for that to happen, you need to keep your eyes on Jesus, who ran His race for you.

He had His back ripped open by a Roman whip when He was lashed 39 times. After that, He picked up a huge cross and carried it through the streets of Jerusalem. Then they nailed His hands and feet to that cross, and He hung there.

The people cried out in unison, “Crucify Him!” His own disciples were largely in hiding. One of His own handpicked friends, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Him.

How easily Jesus could have said, “I’m done here, people. No one apparently understands why I’ve come to this world and what I’m about to do, so I’m not going to do it.” And He would have been justified.

So why did Jesus do it? What kept Him going? Hebrews 12:2 gives us the answer: “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame”

What was the joy awaiting Him? It was you and me. 

He ran His race for us. 

And we need to run our race for Him.

-greg laurie

...grace

One of my more memorable seminary professors had a practical way of illustrating to his students the concept of grace. At the end of his evangelism course he would distribute the exam with the caution to read it all the way through before beginning to answer it. This caution was written on the exam as well. As we read the test, it became unquestionably clear to each of us that we had not studied nearly enough.

The further we read, the worse it became. About halfway through, audible groans could be heard through out the lecture hall. On the last page, however, was a note that read, "You have a choice. You can either complete the exam as given or sign your name at the bottom and in so doing receive an A for this assignment."

Wow? We sat there stunned. "Was he serious? Just sign it and get an A?" Slowly, the point dawned on us, and one by one we turned in our tests and silently filed out of the room.

When I talked with the professor about it afterward, he shared some of the reactions he had received through the years. Some students began to take the exam without reading it all the way through, and they would sweat it out for the entire two hours of class time before reaching the last page.

Others read the first two pages, became angry, turned the test in blank, and stormed out of the room without signing it. They never realized what was available, and as a result, they lost out totally.

One fellow, however, read the entire test, including the note at the end, but decided to take the exam anyway. He did not want any gifts; he wanted to earn his grade. And he did. He made a C+, but he could easily have had an A.

This story illustrates many people’s reaction to God’s solution to sin. Some people look at God’s standard - moral and ethical perfection - and throw their hands up in surrender. "Why even try?" they tell themselves. "I could never live up to all that stuff."

Others are like the student who read the test through and was aware of the professor’s offer but took the test anyway. Unwilling to simply receive God’s gift of salvation, they set about to rack up enough points for their works with God to earn it.

But God’s grace truly is like the professor’s offer. It may seem unbelievable, but if we accept it, then, like the stunned students who accepted the professor’s offer, we, too, will discover that, Yes, God’s grace truly is free. All we have to do is accept it.

"For by grace are you saved by faith; and that not of yourselves.  It is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

-david langerfeld   

 

...plans

 Some might call it dumb luck - and a few accidents  - that saved a mining company back in 1902.

 

This mining and manufacturing enterprise, which was originally based in Two Harbors, Michigan, planned to mine and sell corundum, which is the world's hardest natural substance second only to diamonds.  The mine produced an inferior form of corundum, but the creative staff found that this abrasive could be used to manufacture sand paper. So they mined and they manufactured, and in 1905, the company was moved to Duluth and later to Saint Paul.

 

In 1916 the company made its first profit and in 1920 the manufacturing division was coming up with an innovation that would become the hallmark of the company - waterproof sandpaper. Masking tape was invented by this company in 1925 that was followed by materials to help deaden the sound when traveling in a vehicle.

 

The first broad based consumer product made by the company came during the depression with the unveiling of transparent tape. A fabric protectant, that is still in use today, was discovered in the 1950's when an employee accidentally splashed a liquid coolant on her shoes only to discover that it wouldn't wash off.

 

Soon the company was marketing other products like overhead projectors and items related to both the dental and medical professions. Synthetic materials were developed by the company for NASA which were used on the famous moon walk of 1969.

 

They also delved into household cleaners, electronics, pharmaceuticals, communication devices and office supplies - marketing about 60,000 total products!

 

The company leveled off to a great degree until 1980.  That year, one of the company scientists was experimenting with substances that might help him mark his church hymnal without leaving a permanent visual reminder. Even though no one believed it could be done, this scientist discovered just the right formula for "Post-it-Notes".

 

If that mine in 1902 had yielded the quality of corundum that Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing had wanted, they might not be known today by another name and for reasons disassociated with mining. Today we refer to this company simply as "3M".

 

The Bible is filled with examples of people who found that things did not always wind up the way they thought they should. Paul couldn't have expected the Damascus Road experience. Moses wasn't prepared to lead his people out of Egypt - he seemed perfectly content to be a sheepherder. Peter said he would never deny Jesus and you know how that went.  Job lost everything through no fault of his own and in the end was blessed beyond his wildest dreams.

 

When things don't turn out like you think they should, is it possible that God has something else much better in mind for you?  Trust God.  Trust His plans for you!  Even when things aren't going the way you planned, trust God that His plans are best for you.  

 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD. "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11

-david langerfeld

...past

On New Year’s Eve in New York City a few years ago, people had the opportunity to put unhappy reminders of the previous year into a giant shredder.

A lot of people showed up. One person said she felt liberated after she put a photograph of her ex-fiancé and his new girlfriend into the shredder. Another person wanted to shred away her high cholesterol, her high blood pressure, and her bills.

That sounds fun, but shredding things won’t necessarily make them go away. 

I don’t have a big shredder, but I do have a great Savior. And He can help you put your sins behind you.

The apostle Paul said, “But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13–14.

“Forgetting those things that are behind” doesn’t mean that Paul failed to remember them. Rather, it means those things no longer influenced or affected him. This means that, like Paul, you break the power of the past by living for the future. You don’t have to be controlled by your past failures or sins. And one sure way to forget your past is to not repeat your mistake. 

Learn from it.

As I like to say, learn how to fall forward. This simply means that if you stumble, you want to remember the very difficult lesson you just learned, so you don’t do it again. Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” Luke 9:62.

To run this race of life well and to finish it well, we need to look to Jesus. Because it doesn't matter if you start well, it matters if you finish well.

-gregory laurie

...me

Sally, a seminary student, related an experience from one of her classes. One of her teachers, Professor Thornton, was known for his elaborate object lessons. On one particular day, when Sally walked into his class, there was a big target on the wall and a lot of darts on the table next to it.

Dr. Thornton told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry... and he would allow them to throw darts at that person's picture. A girl sitting next to Sally drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of Professor Thornton, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on his face. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Thornton, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Professor Thornton began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus . . .

A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced out.

Dr. Thornton said only these words, "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

No other words were necessary; the tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ. The students remained in their seats... even after the bell rang. Then they slowly left the classroom, tears streaming down their faces. 

-david langerfeld

...desert

 "...I have become an alien in a foreign land." Exodus 2:22

God's preparation of a leader involves training, extended times of waiting, pain, rejection, and isolation. Are you ready to sign up?

Moses was brought up in Pharaoh's court. He had the very best of everything - education, clothing, food and personal care. But there came a time when the man God would use to free an entire people from slavery was going to have to learn to be the leader God wanted. At age 40, when most of us want to be thinking about winding down instead of beginning a new career, Moses was forced to flee to the desert.

Like Joseph and Abraham, Moses had to endure some difficult years of preparation that first involved removal from his current situation. He went from notoriety to obscurity, from limitless resources to no resources, from activity and action to inactivity and solitude. And, most importantly, waiting. And waiting. And more waiting. He probably thought he would die in the land of Midian.

Then one day, a full 40 years from the day he arrived, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. Everything changed. God said, "It is time." The years had seasoned the vessel to prepare him to accomplish the work.

God is preparing many workplace believers today. The circumstances may be different. The time frames may not be quite as long. But the characteristics of the training are still the same. Do not try to shortcut the desert time of God. It only leads to cul-de-sacs, which force you to revisit the lessons you are meant to learn. Embrace them, so that He can use your life for something extraordinary.

-os hillman