Forgiveness is setting a prisioner FREE
and than realizing that the prisioner is YOU
Saturday, January 29, 2011
powerful WORDS
Someone has written these beautiful words.
One must read and try to understand the deep meanings in them.
They are like the Ten Commandments to follow in life all the time.
1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble;
it is a "steering wheel" that directs us in the right path throughout life.
2] Do you know why a car's WINDSHIELD
is so large & the rear view mirror is so small?
Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE.
So, look ahead and move on.
3] Friendship is like a BOOK..
It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.
4] All things in life are temporary.
If going well enjoy it, they will not last forever.
If going wrong don’t worry, they can't last long either.
5] Old friends are like Gold! New friends are Diamonds!
If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold!
Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a base of Gold!
6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end,
GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, my child,
it's just a bend, not the end!
7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities;
when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.
8] A blind person asked St. Anthony:
"Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?"
He replied: "Yes, losing your vision."
9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them;
and sometimes, when you are safe and happy,
remember that someone has prayed for you.
10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES;
it takes away today’s PEACE.
One must read and try to understand the deep meanings in them.
They are like the Ten Commandments to follow in life all the time.
1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble;
it is a "steering wheel" that directs us in the right path throughout life.
2] Do you know why a car's WINDSHIELD
is so large & the rear view mirror is so small?
Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE.
So, look ahead and move on.
3] Friendship is like a BOOK..
It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.
4] All things in life are temporary.
If going well enjoy it, they will not last forever.
If going wrong don’t worry, they can't last long either.
5] Old friends are like Gold! New friends are Diamonds!
If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold!
Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a base of Gold!
6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end,
GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, my child,
it's just a bend, not the end!
7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities;
when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.
8] A blind person asked St. Anthony:
"Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?"
He replied: "Yes, losing your vision."
9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them;
and sometimes, when you are safe and happy,
remember that someone has prayed for you.
10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES;
it takes away today’s PEACE.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Who is your daddy
A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg , TN. right about the time World War I was over. One morning, they were eating their breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, 'I hope he doesn't come over here.' But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.
'Where are you folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice.
' Oklahoma,' they answered.
'Great to have you here in Tennessee ,' the stranger said.'What do you do for a living?' 'I teach at a seminary,'he replied.
'Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.
The professor groaned and thought to himself, 'Great .. Just what I need ...another preacher story!'
The man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?' Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, 'Who's your daddy?'
He would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?' But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd.
Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, who's your daddy?'
The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, 'Who's your daddy?'
'This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy... 'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the family resemblance now, You are a child of God.' With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'
'With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person.. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them , 'I'm a Child of God..''
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, 'Isn't that a great story?' The professor responded that it really was a great story!
As the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!' And he walked away.
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over & asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just left that was sitting at our table?'
The waitress grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper. He's the governor of Tennessee ..'
Someone in your life today needs a reminder that they're one of God's children.
'The grass withers and the flowers fall,but the word of God stands forever.' ~~Isaiah
YOU'RE ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.
Would you keep this going? You have no idea which one of YOUR e-mail buddies could use a little hope today.
True story
'Where are you folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice.
' Oklahoma,' they answered.
'Great to have you here in Tennessee ,' the stranger said.'What do you do for a living?' 'I teach at a seminary,'he replied.
'Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.
The professor groaned and thought to himself, 'Great .. Just what I need ...another preacher story!'
The man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?' Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, 'Who's your daddy?'
He would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?' But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd.
Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, who's your daddy?'
The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, 'Who's your daddy?'
'This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy... 'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the family resemblance now, You are a child of God.' With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'
'With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person.. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them , 'I'm a Child of God..''
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, 'Isn't that a great story?' The professor responded that it really was a great story!
As the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!' And he walked away.
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over & asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just left that was sitting at our table?'
The waitress grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper. He's the governor of Tennessee ..'
Someone in your life today needs a reminder that they're one of God's children.
'The grass withers and the flowers fall,but the word of God stands forever.' ~~Isaiah
YOU'RE ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.
Would you keep this going? You have no idea which one of YOUR e-mail buddies could use a little hope today.
True story
Monday, January 17, 2011
Plant a seed
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time
to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he
decided to do something different. He called all the young
executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next
CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives
were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each
one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to
plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from
today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.
I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one
I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the
others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his
wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and
he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see
if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still
nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for
inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his
young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive
Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the
courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he
decided to do something different. He called all the young
executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next
CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives
were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each
one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to
plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from
today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.
I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one
I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the
others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his
wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and
he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see
if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still
nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for
inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his
young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive
Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the
courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
What do you hear? And what are you listlening for.
I was made mindful of something today and it triggered my memory of a story I heard one time.
That went like this. “ A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking
near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with
people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing,
and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, "I hear a cricket."
His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!"
"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket." "That's crazy," said the friend.
The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big
cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches,
and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.
"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!"
"No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're
listening for."
"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise."
"Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then,
with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn
and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.
"See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."
So let’s make this thing personal and let me ask you, What's important to you? What do you listen for?
Are there times that you fail to hear to God or see what God is doing in your life because you
are focused on other things that are more important to you?
Jesus said, "For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes
they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with
their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear." Matt. 13:15-16)
I was made mindful of something today and it triggered my memory of a story I heard one time.
That went like this. “ A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking
near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with
people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing,
and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, "I hear a cricket."
His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!"
"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket." "That's crazy," said the friend.
The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big
cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches,
and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.
"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!"
"No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're
listening for."
"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise."
"Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then,
with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn
and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.
"See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."
So let’s make this thing personal and let me ask you, What's important to you? What do you listen for?
Are there times that you fail to hear to God or see what God is doing in your life because you
are focused on other things that are more important to you?
Jesus said, "For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes
they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with
their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear." Matt. 13:15-16)
Lesson Jan 9, 2011
First what do you think of THIIS statement?
Christians- are we allowing the HYPERSENSITIVITY of others to silence us. When we do that SOULS are perishing. Offence is going to come. So Let it?
What do you think of that and what does it say to you? Open to discussion.
ACTS 4; 13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,
ACTS 4; 29. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
ACTS 4; 31. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
ACTS 9: 29. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
ACTS 13; 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles
ACTS 19: 8. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
EPH 6; 19. And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20. For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Here is a true story about boldness….. Listen carefully and you judge!
In December, 1999, Donnell Duncan stood over the corpse of a 16 year old member of his father’s church. He was in the middle of a funeral service with about one thousand teenagers crying out in pain because of the tragic loss.
Many of them were not Christians but they all had some connection to the deceased
God gave Donnell simple instructions, “Open your mouth and speak life into the body of the young man and I will do what you say
WHAT HAPPENED? What is the rest of the story as Paul Harvey use to say?
As soon as he got the opportunity, he positioned himself over the casket and froze. What if people heard him? What if it didn’t work? He didn’t have the faith! He walked away broken hearted and afraid without ever saying a word.
Eight years later, he released the information to The Church that he wished he had on that
WHAT HAPPENED to him--Fear-- 2Tim 1; 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
How about did he lose faith in HIS Faith ad the WORD of GOD!?
JERMI 5: 14. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
ISA 55; 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
First what do you think of THIIS statement?
Christians- are we allowing the HYPERSENSITIVITY of others to silence us. When we do that SOULS are perishing. Offence is going to come. So Let it?
What do you think of that and what does it say to you? Open to discussion.
ACTS 4; 13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,
ACTS 4; 29. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
ACTS 4; 31. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
ACTS 9: 29. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
ACTS 13; 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles
ACTS 19: 8. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
EPH 6; 19. And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20. For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Here is a true story about boldness….. Listen carefully and you judge!
In December, 1999, Donnell Duncan stood over the corpse of a 16 year old member of his father’s church. He was in the middle of a funeral service with about one thousand teenagers crying out in pain because of the tragic loss.
Many of them were not Christians but they all had some connection to the deceased
God gave Donnell simple instructions, “Open your mouth and speak life into the body of the young man and I will do what you say
WHAT HAPPENED? What is the rest of the story as Paul Harvey use to say?
As soon as he got the opportunity, he positioned himself over the casket and froze. What if people heard him? What if it didn’t work? He didn’t have the faith! He walked away broken hearted and afraid without ever saying a word.
Eight years later, he released the information to The Church that he wished he had on that
WHAT HAPPENED to him--Fear-- 2Tim 1; 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
How about did he lose faith in HIS Faith ad the WORD of GOD!?
JERMI 5: 14. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
ISA 55; 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
