A woman is dying of AIDS. A minister is summoned. He attempts to share God's love with her, but to no avail.
"I am lost," she said. "I have ruined my life and every life around me. Now I'm going painfully to hell. There is no hope for me." The minister saw a framed picture of a pretty girl on the dresser. "Who is this?" he asked. The woman brightened. "She is my daughter, the one beautiful thing in my life." "And would you help her if she was in trouble, or made a mistake? Would you forgive her? Would you still love her?" "Of course I would!" cried the woman, "I would do anything for her! Why do you ask such a question?" "Because I want you to know," said the minister, "that God has a picture of you on His dresser." 1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout the journey.
2] So why is a car's WINDSHIELD so large and the Rear View Mirror 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 a few minutes 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 Gold! New Friends are Diamond! 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, sweetheart, 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. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:18
Most of us look to friends and colleagues for rewards: a slap on the back, a hero’s medal, applause, a sincere compliment. But according to Jesus, the more important rewards await us after death. It’s possible that the most significant human acts of all are carried out in secret, seen by no one but God. In a nutshell, the message of the kingdom is this: Live for God and not other people. As Jesus explained it, we are accumulating a kind of savings account, storing up “treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20) rather than on earth—treasures so great that they will compensate for any amount of suffering. The Old Testament has dropped a few scant hints about an afterlife, but Jesus spoke plainly about a place where “the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt. 13:43). In their quest for a kingdom, the Jews of Jesus’ day had been looking for signs of God’s approval in this life, primarily through prosperity and political power. Beginning with this speech, Jesus changed the focus to the life to come (ch.6). He discounted success in this visible world. Invest in the future life, He cautioned. After all, rust, a thief, or a lowly insect can destroy all else that we accumulate (v.20). Reward in eternity does not depend upon recognition in life. "...If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23
When Jesus called His disciples, His first command before He told them their mission was, "Follow me." What does it mean to follow someone? Imagine that you are in an unfamiliar place following a friend in your car. To get where you are going, you have to: * Trust them to get you where you need to go. * Submit to their leadership; otherwise you get lost. * Keep your eyes on them; if you lose sight of them, you'll get lost. * Go at their pace, not get ahead or fall behind. This is what is involved in following Jesus, too. We have to trust Him to guide us where we need to go. We have to submit to His leadership--His will before our own. We have to stay focused on Him and go at His pace. If we do this, He'll lead us to where we need to go. And here's even more good news - in the process He'll reveal to us our life purpose. A very poor woman called a Christian radio station asking for help.
A bad, evil man who was listening to this radio program decided to make something out of it. He got her address, called his secretary and ordered her to buy food and take to the woman with the following instruction: "When the woman asks who sent the food, tell her that it's from the devil." When she arrived, the woman was so happy and she started putting the food inside. The secretary asked her: "Don't you want to know who sent you the food?" The woman answered: "No, it doesn't matter, because when GOD orders, even the devil obeys!" I know He is the beginning, so why do I worry about the end?
I know He is the creator, so why do I wonder who will destroy? I know He has forgiven me, so why can't I forgive myself? I know He is a healer, so why do I speak of sickness? I know He can do all things, so why do I say I can't? I know He will protect me, so why do I fear? I know He will supply all my needs, so why can't I wait? I know He is my strength and my salvation, so why do I feel weak? I know that everything and everyone has a season, so why when someone's season is over do I weep instead of rejoicing? I know He is the right way, so why do I go the wrong way? I know He is the light, so why do I choose to walk in darkness? I know that whatever I ask of GOD, GOD will give me, so why am I scared to ask? I know tomorrow is not promised, so why do I put off for tomorrow what I can do today? I know that the truth shall make me free, so why do I continue to lie? I know He gives us revelation, knowledge and understanding, so why do I lean on my own understanding? I know I should live in the spirit as well as walk in the spirit, so why do I choose to live in the spirit but walk in the flesh? I know that when praises go up, blessings come down, so why do I refuse to praise Him? I know I am saved, so why do I refuse the word He has given me? I know He has a plan for me, so why am I rushing it because I am eager to do His will, when it is His time not my time? "The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything." There was this man who saw a scorpion floundering around in the water. He decided to save it by stretching out his finger, but the scorpion stung him. The man still tried to get the scorpion out of the water, but the scorpion stung him again. Another man nearby told him to stop saving the scorpion that kept stinging him. But the man said, "It is the nature of the scorpion to sting. It is my nature to love. Why should I give up my nature to love just because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting?"
LESSON: Don't give up loving? Don't give up your goodness even if the people around you sting you. The greatness comes not when things are always going well for you. But the greatness comes when you're really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes... Because only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
A professional football player’s team was having a terrible season, losing week after week. A reporter asked him how he stayed motivated to play hard and give his best even though his team lost almost every game. He responded, “My dad is watching that game. My mom is watching that game. You better believe I’m going to do my best!” He recognized that there was more at stake than just winning or losing. People were watching, and that reality always drove him to do his best. Jesus reminded us of this reality in the early portions of His Sermon on the Mount. We should live our lives with a recognition that what we do is observed by those around us—and this visible life makes a statement about our God. He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). How does the light of our lives shine? By bringing the heart and character of Christ into the situations that engage us every day. By showing compassion as He did for the marginalized or forgotten. By displaying concern for the Father’s name and reputation. People are watching us. The question is, What do they see? Let your light shine—whether you’re a candle in a corner or a lighthouse on a hill. One song can spark a moment. One flower can wake the dream. One tree can start a forest. One bird can herald spring. One smile begins a friendship. One handclasp lifts a soul. One star can guide a ship at sea. One word can frame the goal. One vote can change a nation. One sunbeam lights a room. One candle wipes out darkness. One laugh will conquer gloom. One step must start each journey. One word must start a prayer. One hope will raise our spirits. One touch can show you care. One voice can speak with wisdom. One heart can know what's true. One life can make the difference. Be that "One" today. You see, it's up to YOU! -Author unknown Sometimes we must be Hurt in order to Grow,
Sometimes we must Fail in order to Know, Sometimes we must Lose in order to Gain, Because some lessons in life are best learned through PAIN.... Begin ur day with a light heart ....!! let all Ur worries be set aside ....!! Smile a moment & thank GOD for this new day ....!! Jesus cares 4 U..!! |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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