Merry Christmas and Happy New Year....

On December 13th I suffered heart attack. So I will be taking a little break till next year sometime. Hopefully by the first of Feb. if not sooner. Thank you for visiting and please continue praying for me to gain my health back.

United State's Map

A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Shelby, and said, "Go into the other room and see if you can put this together.This will show you our whole country today. After a few minutes,Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. "Oh," she said, "on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged,then our country just came together."

Do You Love Me?

One day I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise.Ah, the beauty of God's creation is beyond description.As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work.As I sat there, the Lord brought His Presence on me.He asked me,"Do you love me?" I answered,"Of course, God! you are my Lord and my Savior!"Then He asked,"If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?"
I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs, and the rest of my body;And wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do - The things that I took for granted.
And I answered,"It would be tough, Lord, but I would still love You."Then the Lord said,"If you were blind, would you still love My creation?"
How could I love something without being able to see it?
Then I thought of all the blind people in the world,And how many of them still loved God and His creation.So I answered,"It's hard to think of it, but I would still love You."The Lord then asked me,"If you were deaf, would you still listen to My Word?"
How could I listen to anything, being deaf?
Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts.I answered,"it would be tough, but I would still listen to Your Word."The Lord then asked,"If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"
How could I praise without a voice?
Then it occurred to me,God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul.It never matters what we sound like.And praising God is not always with a song,But also when we are persecuted.We give God praise with our words of thanks.So I answered,"Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name."And the Lord asked,"Do you really love Me?"With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly,"Yes Lord, I love You, because You are the One and True God!"I thought I had answered well, but God asked,"Then why do you sin?"I answered,"Because I am only human. I am not perfect."
"Then why in times of peace do you stray the furthest?""Why only in times of trouble do you pray the earnest?"
No answer; only tears.
The Lord continued,"Why only sing at fellowships and retreats?Why seek Me only in times of worship?Why ask things so selfishly?Why ask things so unfaithfully?"
The tears continued to roll down my cheek.
"Why are you ashamed of Me?Why are you not spreading the Good News?Why in times of persecution, you cry to others,When I offer you My Shoulder to cry on?Why make excuses, when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?"
I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give.
"You are blessed with life.I made you not to throw this gift away.I have blessed you with talents to serve Me,But you continue to turn away.I have stretched forth My Word to you, but you do not gain knowledge.I have spoken to you, but your eyes were turned away.I have sent you My servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away.I have heard your prayers, and have answered them all."
"Do you truly love Me?"
I could not answer. How could I?I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse.What could I say to this?When my heart had cried out, and the tears had flowed, I said,"Please forgive me, Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child.
The Lord answered,"That is My Grace, My child."
I asked,"Why do You continue to forgive me?Why do You love me so?"
The Lord answered,"Because you are My creation; you are My child. I will never abandon you.When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you.When you scream in joy, I will laugh with you.When you are down, I will encourage you.When you fall, I will raise you up.When you are tired, I will carry you.I will be with you ‘til the end of the days, and I will love you forever."
Never had I cried so hard before.How could I have been so cold?How could I have hurt God as I had done?I asked God,"How much do You love me?"
And the Lord stretched out His Arms,As they were nailed to the cross.I bowed down at the Feet of Christ, my Savior. And for the first time,I truly prayed.
The question is: Do we love Him? Do you love Him? Do I love Him?
Author Unknown

This Will Give You Chills

No matter how religious you may ormay not be, this can give you chills. Phil. 4:13 states: "I can doall things through Christ which strengthen me......" Here's the story: A young man who had been raised as an atheist was training to be an Olympic diver. The only religious influence in his life came from his outspoken Christian friend. The young diver never really paid much attention to his friend's sermons, but he heard them often.One night the diver went to the indoor pool at the college he attended. The lights were all off, but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was plenty of light to practice by.The young man climbed up to the highest diving board and as he turned his back to the pool on the edge of the board and extended his arms out, he saw his shadow on the wall. The shadow of his body, was in the shape of a cross. The man felt a strange feeling, like someone was speaking to him. Instead of diving, he knelt down and finally asked God to come into his life. As the young man stood, a maintenance man walked in and turned the lights on. The pool had been drained ! for repairs.

The Little Old Lady

There was a little old lady, who every morning. stepped onto her front porch, raised her arms to the sky, and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD!" One day an atheist moved into the house next door. He became irritated at the little old lady. Every morning he'd step onto his front porch after her and yell: "THERE IS NO LORD!" Time passed with the two of them carrying on this way every day.One morning, in the middle of winter, the little old lady stepped onto her front porch and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD! Please Lord, I have no food and I am starving, provide for me, oh Lord! The next morning she stepped out onto her porch and there were two huge bags of groceries sitting there. "PRAISE THE LORD!" she cried out. "HE HAS PROVIDED GROCERIES FOR ME!"The atheist neighbor jumped out of the hedges and shouted:"THERE IS NO LORD; I BOUGHT THOSE GROCERIES!!"The little old lady threw her arms into the air and shouted: "PRAISE THE LORD! HE HAS PROVIDED ME WITH GROCERIES AND MADE THE DEVIL PAY FOR THEM!"

Baptizing A Drunk

A man is stumbling through the woods, totally drunk, when he comes upon a preacher baptizing people in the river.He proceeds to walk into the water and subsequently bumps into the preacher. The preacher turns around and is almost overcome by the smell of alcohol, whereupon he asks the drunk, "Are you ready to find Jesus?"The drunk answers, "Yes, I am." So the preacher grabs him and dunks him in the water.He pulls him up and asks the drunk,"Brother, have you found Jesus?"The drunk replies, "No, I haven't found Jesus."The preacher, shocked at the answer, dunks him into the water again for a little longer.He again pulls him out of the water and asks again, "Have you found Jesus, my brother?"The drunk again answers, "No, I haven't found Jesus."By this time the preacher is at his wits end and dunks the drunk in the water again -- - but this time holds him downfor about 30 seconds and when he begins kicking his arms and legs he pulls him up.The preacher again asks the drunk, "For the love of God, have you found Jesus?"The drunk wipes his eyes and catches his breath and says to the preacher,*****"Are you sure this is where he fell in?"

Q & A

Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?
A. Ruthless.

Q. What do they call pastors in Germany ?
A. German Shepherds.

Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.

Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.

Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.

Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden ?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.

Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.

Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?
A. The area around Jordan . The banks were always overflowing.

Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible? A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.

Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.

Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark ?
A. Because Noah was standing on the deck. ( Groan ...)

P.S. Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee?
Yup, it's in the Bible. It says . . . "He-brews"

Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone?

Watch your Thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny!

Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
There will always be sunshine,
after the rain ....
Perhaps you may stumble,
perhaps even fall,
But God's always ready,
To answer your call ...
He knows every heartache,
sees every tear,
A word from His lips,
can calm every fear ...
Your sorrows may linger,
throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish,
dawn's early light ...
The Savior is waiting,
somewhere above,
To give you His grace,
and send you His love ..
Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
"God always sends rainbows ....
after the rain ... "

The Gentle Art Of Confrontation

But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ.Ephesians 4:15

No family is without conflicts, and when we let conflicts simmer without confrontation, they have a habit of boiling over and affecting our spiritual lives.

William Wordsworth said: "He who has a good friend needs no mirror." Family members can learn to be each other's best friend by learning the gentle art of confrontation.

Blessed is the marriage where both spouses feel the other is a good friend-one who will listen, reflect back, understand and work through whatever needs to be dealt with. Occasionally all this requires loving confrontation.

Of course, we must face the fact that some of us don't want to be confronted. Some people would rather be comfortable than Christlike. Many of Barbara's best statements to me are the ones that hurt a bit, but I need to hear them because they keep me on the right track.Learning loving confrontation starts with love.

As 1 Corinthians 13 points out, love expects the best of others. There's no way to confront someone else productively if you expect the worst or have a chip on your shoulder.Loving confrontation is not nagging. It states its position without dragging it out for days. Being nagged at is no fun. Someone has said it's like being nibbled to death by a duck.

Christian confrontation doesn't accuse; it focuses on "I" language, with my saying plainly how I feel. It avoids "You" language, which inevitably sounds condemning. There's a world of difference between saying, "I really don't like arriving at church late-can I do something to help?" and "You always make us late!"

Also, keep in mind that the people you love, but need to confront, are not your enemies. Your mate is never your enemy. Christian confrontation requires that you speak the truth-but always in love.

Faithful In Little Things

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."Luke 16:10

Are you trustworthy?Can others count on you?Do you want to know how to be original in a culture of copycats?Do you want to be a part of a vanishing breed in today's generation?If so, then become a person who is faithful. You know, a person who follows through. One whom others can count on whether things are rough or smooth. His word is good on the little stuff, as well as the mammoth, gargantuan tasks. He's the kind of person who promises to call-and does so-on time. He says he'll do it and he does-exactly like you have asked for it to be done.

Are you known as a faithful person? If you are, then here are a few of the words that can be used to describe you: Trustworthy, dependable, reliable, true-blue and responsible. All of the names are saturated with one recurring theme, character. Character quietly, yet convincingly, says, "You can count on me-at any cost!

"Faithfulness. Strange, isn't it, that such a simple thing would be in such short supply?

Today, our oatmeal is ready to eat in 60 seconds, our pictures can be developed in 60 minutes and our houses can be built in 60 days. We are a culture that is used to getting what we want instantly. We aren't accustomed to working patiently, or waiting on anything-even a hamburger.

I meet a lot of men who desire to have more responsibility and move up the ladder of success. Many of them, however, want to jump to the top of that ladder rather than climb it. They want you to be impressed with their talent and their skills of persuasion rather than with their faithfulness.

What Goes Around Comes Around

*One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was those chills which only fear can put in you.

He said, "I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.

"Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me."

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan .

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the ti me the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin.

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.

"Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard....

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's going to b e all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson."

The A B C' s Of Parenthood

Always trust your child to God ( Matthew 19:14)
Bring them to worship and Bible School (Hebrews 10:25)
Challenge to higher goals in life (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Delight in their achievements ( Romans 12 :15)
Exalt the Lord in their presence at every opportunity ( Psalms 34:3)
Frown on evil ( Proverb 25:23)
Give them love ( Titus 2:3-5)
Hear their problems ( James 1:19)
Ignore not their childish fears ( 1: Thessalonians 5:11).
Joyfully accept their apologies (Roman 15:7)
Keep their confidences (Proverbs 25:11)
Live a good example before them at all times (Matthew 5:14-16)
Make them your best friends ( Genesis 44:10)
Never ignore their endless questions (1 Peter 3:15)
Open your home to their friends (Hebrews 13:1-2)
Pray for them by name daily ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Quicken your interest in their spirituality ( Matthew 5:13)
Remember their needs ( Philippians ( 2:4)
Show them the way of salvation ( Acts 16:17)
Teach them to work and be responsible ( Timothy 5:8)
Understand they still need you, even when they are older( Psalm 71:18) Verify your statements ( 12:17)
Wean them from bad company ( Proverb 1;10)
Xpect them to obey ( Ephesians 6:1-3)
Yearn for God's best for them ( numbers 6:24)
Zealously guide them in biblical truths ( Proverbs 22:6)

Classroom In School

Come with me to a third grade classroom..... There isa nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and thefront of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, thisis an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while issaying to himself, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is
wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie.She tries to help, but they tell her to get out.

You've done enough, you klutz!"

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

Sometimes We Wonder..........

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation! A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."

"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.

"Yuck" says her daughter. "How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!""Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Mom, those are all yucky!" To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

"God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!

We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

Something To Think About

EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ ALL OF THIS and HAVE CHILDREN READ IT TOO!
After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line. She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213. She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an instant message:

ByAngel213:Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!Fwd:

GoTo123:LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you?Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?ByAngel213:Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.

GoTo123:Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?

ByAngel2 13:Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.

GoTo123:Did you have a softball game after school today?
ByAngel213:Yes and we won!!

GoTo123:That's great! Who did you play?

ByAngel213:We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL

GoTo123:What is your team called?

ByAngel213:We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool.

GoTo1 23:Did you pitch?

ByAngel213:No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!

GoTo123:Catch you later. Bye

Meanwhile.......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.Her name: ShannonBirthday: Jan. 3, 1985Age: 13State where she lived: North CarolinaHobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall. Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School . She had told him all this in the conversations they had on- line. He had enough information to find her now.

Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn't want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.

By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her.Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely.He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt.After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found her.Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon 's home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car.Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon 's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.

Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room."Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa."Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you."
Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!"Do you know who I am, Shannon ?" the man asked."No," Shannon answered."I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14. And he lives in Michigan !"The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon , there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to injure kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze."Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan ?"He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh . It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?"She nodded."I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?""It's a promise!"

That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic situation.

Please Read

Cleaving & Commitment

For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.Genesis 2:24

A lot of people have taken romance to the classified ads these days. One that I ran across points out the need for commitment. It was from a young man who was courting a young lady and it really mirrored our times. It read:

To Mary. My love for you would climb the highest mountain. My love for you would cross the hottest desert. My love for you would cause me to swim the widest stream. My love for you would cause me to die at the stake for you. Love, Jim. P.S. I'll see you Sunday, if it doesn't rain.

That's the way a lot of people are today. Their commitments are about six miles wide and one inch deep. One reason why we have lost romance in our relationships is we don't understand commitment, and we don't practice it in everyday life.

I'll tell you when commitment is really tested-during what I call the "marriage drift." That's what takes a relationship from the balcony, when you're being swept off your feet, to the battlefield, where you turn against your mate.

When God calls a man and woman to "cleave" to one another, He means for them to make a lifelong covenant that could only be broken by death. They leave one relationship (with their parents) and establish a total dependence and commitment to a new person.

Commitment enables two people to get to know each other and to work through life's difficulties when they face them. If you don't have commitment, you're going to find a way out of that marriage relationship. Today it's easier to get out of marriage than it is to get out of a record club.

Give Up On Yourself

I wonder how many times you've said, "I give up!" Probably a lot. But how many times have you said, "I give up on myself!" Believe it or not, that's what I'm going to encourage you to do-give up on yourself.

Actually it's a biblical principle that can truly set us free when we are willing to apply it to our lives. Give up on yourself! In a world that teaches us to fulfill ourselves, actualize ourselves, pamper ourselves, and generally please ourselves, it probably sounds very strange to hear someone say "Give up on yourself!" But I truly believe that when you see this from the Bible's perspective, you'll understand why I'm encouraging you to give up on yourself.

Now, let me begin by saying that this biblical principle applies to those who have been born from above, who have received new life in Christ and are a part of God's family. We should remember that does not include everyone who goes to church or even everyone who calls himself or herself a Christian. We know from Scripture that in order to be born from above, a person must come face to face with their own sin problem, confess their sins, and accept the redemption that Jesus purchased for us when He died and rose again. Then we are saved by grace through faith, and it is a gift from God to us.

So, if you are certain that you have been made a new creation in Christ, according to the Bible's definition, then you are indeed part of God's family. You are a Christian. And it is to you who are Christians that I say, "Give up on yourself!

"Why would I say such a ridiculous thing? Listen to these verses from Colossians 3:Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.You died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. The old you that you were before you placed your trust in Jesus Christ died. That's why I'm telling you to give up on yourself-on that old you. It's dead! No need trying to revive it or dress it up or make it feel good or give it good self-esteem. It is dead!

In Galatians 2:20 we read:I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.The Apostle Paul was able to grasp this paradoxical truth, and it applies not only to him or to other great Christians, it is a truth for all of us. When we become new creations in Christ, the old has passed, the new has come. That old you no longer lives, because Christ lives in you.Is your head spinning as you try to understand this? What does it mean that the old me no longer lives? I'm still here in the same body, and unfortunately doing some of the same dumb things I used to do before I was crucified with Christ. I still find myself envious and greedy and selfish and prideful. If the old me has died, why do I still fight these battles?Paul faced that dilemma as well.

In Romans 7 he writes:I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:18-25).

Here's the truth that we find difficult to grasp: The old me died with Christ on the cross and my new life is now Christ living in me. This is my position as a believer in Jesus Christ. The old me-the one who was born in sin, the one born in Adam, as the Bible puts it-is dead and the sins which condemned me and kept me from having a relationship with the Holy God are now washed clean and are remembered no more against me. When God sees me now, He sees my new position in Christ; therefore, I am acceptable to God.

Romans 5:12 tells us that "Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin." That one man is Adam, and before you were "in Christ," you were "in Adam." We are all sinners because we are all born with a sin nature. We sin because we are sinners, not vice versa. We were born "in Adam" and that means we are all sinners. The Bible is clear about the condition of this old person. We are by nature children of wrath, dead in trespasses and sins, "gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts" (Ephesians 2:3)

Even at our best, not one of us does good in the old person. We have all gone astray. In a world gone crazy with "finding ourselves," C. S. Lewis writes: "Look for yourself and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay." That's where we must begin if we are ever to give up on ourselves. Recognize that finding the old you is finding trouble. Admit that the old you is your problem. Don't defend it any longer; don't try to cover it up. You share the same sad condition with the rest of humanity; we are all in and of ourselves miserable, degraded people.This is why it is so useless-in fact, harmful-to focus your energy on feeling good about that old you. Underneath the nice clothes you can put on and the good education you can get and the big money you can earn and the power positions you can attain is still the old you, and you are dead in trespasses and sin! Good self-esteem is an oxymoron. How can you feel good about something that is basically dead in sin?If you will note, the Apostle Paul had nothing good to say about his old person.

As we saw in Romans 7, he was pretty down on that old Paul. To the Corinthians he wrote that when he was weak, then he was strong. He called himself the "chief of sinners." This was not a man who boasted about his accomplishments or his gifts.But this is the man who said:I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13). In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37).God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).For he chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Ephesians 1:4). Was Paul unbalanced or a little off the deep end? No, Paul came to understand this incredible truth of being dead to the old person and alive unto Christ. Notice he wrote that God chose us to be holy and blameless in his sight. In God's sight we are in Christ and therefore we are holy and blameless. That's what we have to be in order to have fellowship with a holy God, and He made it possible by sending His Son to die and pay the price for our sin as a perfect sacrifice.Now, here's the good news. This new person, which we are when we are born from above, is in Christ, and God sees us not only crucified with Christ, but risen with Christ. That's why Paul said, "Nevertheless I live." I'm crucified with Christ-the old me. But the new creation I have become lives in Christ. It is the Christ-life living in me and through me-that's how God sees us. He sees us risen and ascended with Christ, seated with Him in the heavenly realms. That's where Jesus is now, in the heavenly realms with God the Father. Then since we are "in Christ," we are there, too, as God sees us. Now, how does this all work out for daily living? God sees me in Christ, in the heavenlies, but I wake up each morning and put my feet on this earth, face the trials of everyday life, deal with people I'm not particularly fond of, and struggle with life on this planet. Doesn't look like heavenly realms to me!

It doesn't work out as long as I'm facing everyday life in the power of the old me. So many Christians are doing that. Yes, they've become new creations in Christ but they don't understand or live in that power. They were saved by grace through faith but they're trying to live by works! Are you trying to build your self-image upon what God has done for you, trying to be a really good Christian so you can feel good about yourself? That is still the old self-life, because your focus is on you.

Here is what Paul teaches us: You are dead! That old you in dead.But the new you is righteous in Christ. You are righteous because God has credited you with the righteousness of Jesus. The new you is perfect because you are in Christ and Christ is perfect. If you aren't, you can't see God or go to heaven, because nothing unholy can enter into God's presence. God has declared us perfect in Christ Jesus and has already seated us in heavenly places. Christ is our righteousness.So, in our daily life here on earth, what we must learn to do is live in this new reality. We must give up on ourselves and begin to let the Christ life in us live through us. We've got to forget about ourselves, accept that we are dead, and focus on new life in Christ. Paul wrote: Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

We are living in the "meanwhile" of verse two. Meanwhile, between this time while we're still clothed in this earthly tent and the time when our bodies will be in the heavenly dwelling, we groan and are burdened. But God has given us the Spirit as a deposit, so we know that this is not the way it's always going to be. Someday we're going to be rid of this earthly tent and all the problems it brings.Until then, our challenge is to forget the old us and focus on Christ, who is our life. We must give up on ourselves and find our total identity in Christ. Paul wrote, For to me, to live is Christ! (Philippians 1:21). He was alive, he said, yet not him, but Christ who lived in him. This is the paradox of the true Christian life that few of us have ever understood or accepted.What many of us do is to confuse our identity in Christ with our human life, the old us. We know what we're supposed to be like as a Christian, and we try to impose those standards on ourselves, but we fail often. So we live in lots of guilt, feeling like a failure as a Christian. Give up on yourself! The old you is never going to measure up. Instead focus on Jesus; He is all you need. You are in Him, and that gives you a new identity. His Spirit dwells in you and that gives you a new life. You live in a new place-the heavenly realms. You speak a new language-the language of love. You have new ambitions-to please God and bring glory to Jesus Christ.

Maybe you're wondering how this applies to your daily life, to your workplace, your job. Well, it is foundational to every part of our lives as believers and until we "get it," we'll find struggles in every area of our lives.

1st Grade Wisdom

A first grade school teacher in Virginia had twenty-five students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom with the first half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first-graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are 6 year-olds, because the last one is a classic!
1. Don't change horses...........................................until they stop running.
2. Strike while the..................................................bug is close.
3. It's always darkest before...................................Daylight Saving Time.
4. Never underestimate the power of .......................termites.
5. You can lead a horse to water but .......................how?
6. Don't bite the hand that.......................................looks dirty.
7. No news is........................................................impossible.
8. A miss is as good as a ......................................Mr.
9. You can't teach an old dog new ..........................math.
10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll.........................stink in the morning.
11. Love all, trust..................................................me.
12. The pen is mightier than the.............................pigs.
13. An idle mind is................................................the best way to relax.
14. Where there's smoke there's.............................pollution.
15. Happy the bride who.........................................gets all the presents.
16. A penny saved is.............................................not much.
17. Two's company, three's....................................the Musketeers.
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what...........................you put on to go to bed.
19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and.....you have to blow your nose.
20. There are none so blind as................................Stevie Wonder.
21. Children should be seen and not........................spanked or grounded.
22. If at first you don't succeed...............................get new batteries.
23. You get out of something only what you ...........see in the picture on the box.
24. When the blind lead the blind............................get out of the way.
25. Better late than...............................................pregnant.

Defenses Against The Lion

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.1 Peter 5:8I've found a widespread misconception about Satan's efforts to devour us by presenting us with temptations. Many people think that it's a sin just to be tempted. The fact is, being tempted is normal for a Christian-especially one who is growing.Even Christ, we recall, was tempted in that classic confrontation with the devil at the beginning of His ministry. Giving in to temptation is the problem.So how can we resist the roaring lion? First, know your weaknesses. If temptation occurs when you are alone, build in some safeguards. Ask your spouse to keep you honest and accountable by asking the hard questions that you don't want anyone to ask you. (Example: Did you watch any provocative movies in your hotel room on your recent business trip?) Keep your mind at work; prepare for times when you are alone by setting some objectives. Or the next time you are tempted, call your mate and ask him or her to pray with you and for you.Second, draw upon His power to stand firm. As Paul says, "God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can withstand, if we rely on His strength to deliver us" (see 1 Cor. 10:13).Third, if you are toying with a temptation realize that you might as well be handling a serpent. Some people stand as close to the edge of sin as they can, thinking they are above it, when they may actually be toying with the death of their marriages, their family relationships and their ministries. In the same passage, Paul counsels, "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (see v. 12).

10 Guideline From God (#10)

10. LOVE YOURSELF:As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only -- to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me Love your neighbors. But also love yourself.It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me.Don't ever forget......

Touch someone with your love.Rather than focus upon the thorns of life,smell the roses and count your blessings!My prayer is that we will use these 10 guidelines and apply them everyday.

10 Guideline From God (#9)

9. BE KIND:Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try
to get along, for My sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical.Please, know I love each of your differences.

10 Guideline From God (#8)

8. BE PATIENT:I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences.You grow from a child to an adult, have children,change jobs many times, learn many trades,travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe inonly six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.

10 Guidelines From God(#7)

7. SHARE:You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.

10 Guidelines From God(#6)

6. HAVE FAITH:I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me you wouldn't want the view from My eyes.I will continue to care for you, watch over you,and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me.Although I have a much bigger task than you,it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

10 Guidelines From God (#5)

5. TALK TO ME:I want you to forget a lot of things.Forget what was making you crazy.Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU!I want to hear your voice I want you to include Me in on the things going on in your life.I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me. I want to be your dearest friend.

10 Guidelines From God (#4)

4. LEAVE IT ALONE:Don't wake up one morning and say,"Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple.You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back,you will be right back where you started?Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.

10 Guidelines From God(#3)

3. TRUST ME:Once you've given your burdens to Me,quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials.Problems with the kids? Put them on My list.Problem with finances? Put it on My list.Problems with your emotional roller coaster?For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

10 Guidelines From God(#2)

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST:Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take careof the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God. I can take careof anything you put into My hands. In fact,if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

Ten Guideline's From God(#1)

Effective Immediately,please be aware that there are changes YOU needto make in YOUR life. These changes need to becompleted in order that I may fulfill My promisesto you to grant you peace, joy and happiness inthis life. I apologize for any inconvenience,but after all that I am doing, this seems verylittle to ask of you. Please, follow these 10 guidelines

1. QUIT WORRYING: Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you?Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?

Handy Little Chart (God as a positive answer)

YOU SAY GOD SAYS BIBLE VERSES

You say: "It's impossible"

God says: All things are possible
(Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"

God says: I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you
(John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things
(Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able
(II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )

You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs
(Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
(II Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)

The first sentence is pretty powerful!God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.

"Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is that you know they may need this day! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with you. Amen.

Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary/Final

Where I attend church we sing this song. Please read the words they mean so much.Our Burdens are lifted at Calvary. Praise God!

Burdens are LiftedAt CalvaryWords and music by John M. Moore© 1952

Psalm 68:19"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,who daily bears our burdens. ?Selah."

Days are filled with sorrow and care,Hearts are lonely and drear;Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Jesus is very near.

Chorus: Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Calvary, Calvary,Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Jesus is very near.

Cast your care on Jesus today,Leave your worry and fear;Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Jesus is very near.

Chorus: Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Calvary, Calvary,Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Jesus is very near.

Troubled soul, the Saviour can see,Ev'ry heartache and tear;Burdens are lifted at CalvaryJesus is very near.

Chorus: Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Calvary, Calvary,Burdens are lifted at Calvary,Jesus is very near.

Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary / Part 4

Christians should never be carrying heavy burdens. Jesus has graciously offered to take those heavy burdens and give us His light one instead.

Let me give you a practical challenge to help you see how to exchange your burden for the one Jesus has for you. First, get some 3x5 cards and write down every burden that you're trying to carry around, one for each card. List all of them, big and small.

Then, categorize those burdens: Past, present or future. Which ones are things from your past: regrets, guilt? Which ones are fear of the future? And which ones relate strictly to today?

Then, go to the Word of God and find a verse to claim as a promise for each of those burdens. Write those verses on the opposite side of the card, and carry those cards with you. When that burden starts to grip your mind, whip out the cards and read (aloud if possible) the verse of Scripture God gave you.

And every time you feel yourself starting to take one of those old burdens up again, you can stop right where you are and by faith exchange it. Remember, you may have to go through the exchange process several times in a day. That's okay. The important thing is to keep exchanging, and eventually you're going to know real freedom from those heavy burdens as you discover that you can release your heavy burdens to Jesus. You shouldn't be trying to carry them. It's not what God intended for you.

And remember this, If it's not light, it's not right! That's how you know whether you're carrying the right burden or not. Jesus' burden is light. You can handle it. Don't let the enemy dump false guilt on you because your burden is light. Sometimes we feel guilty if we're not all worried and depressed, like we're not doing our part to help. Certainly you can be concerned, but what you can't do is carry that heavy burden. It's beyond you, so stop right where you are and exchange it for the light burden that Jesus wants to give you. Even in the midst of a problem, even when your heart is heavy, you can be free from the heavy burden, because you have a burden-carrier, the Lord Jesus, and He is waiting for you to give Him your heavy burden.

Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary / Part 3

Do you feel like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders sometimes? The truth is, God never intended for His children to carry heavy burdens day after day.

Our burdens fall into three broad categories: guilt and cares from the past, worries and concerns about the present, and fear of the future. Past, present and future.

Think about your burdens. How many of them are a part of your past? Are you carrying things around that should be behind you? Philippians 3:13 says:But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 43:18 tells us to, Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!One reason many of us are carrying heavy burdens is because we haven't yet committed the past to the Lord. I know some of you have endured great pains in your past, but if you know Jesus as your Savior, He has the power to take that burden from your past and exchange it for His peace.Is some of your burden because of the future, because you don't know what the future holds?

Remember Jeremiah 29:11, 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.Yesterday with all its cares and frets, all its pains and aches, all its faults, mistakes and blunders, has passed forever beyond our recall. We cannot undo an act that we wrought nor unsay a word we said. Yesterday was ours. It is now God's!

And Tomorrow with all its possible adversities, its potential perils, its unknown paths and events, is as far beyond our mastery as Yesterday. It is a day of God's. It will be ours, but it is not yet.
Will you put down those heavy burdens from yesterday and tomorrow, and exchange them for Jesus' burden, which is light?

He never intended for you to carry that heavy burden, and He's just waiting for you to give it up to Him.

Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary / Part 2

Do you pack your worries to take with you to work? If you're a Christian, there is no excuse or reason for you to carry heavy burdens. Jesus has invited us to exchange our heavy burdens for His light one.

Maybe you carry those burdens because you feel you deserve them. And that may be true. But if we all got what we deserve, things would really be awful. We're dealing with a God of mercy and grace. He doesn't give us what we deserve. He gives out of His heart of love and kindness, and He's most willing to exchange your burdens for His.

All we have to do is just exchange-leave ours at the feet of Jesus and take His light burden in its place. You may wonder how you do that. It just seems too easy.

Well, exchange simply means "hand it over," "give it up," "drop it." You have to make a conscious decision that you will let it go-by faith. It takes faith on your part, and a set of your will to let go of that burden and choose not to carry it. You consciously relinquish your heavy burden and choose to believe that Jesus will keep His word and exchange it for you.

Remember, too, this is an act of your will, not your emotions. Do it by faith, regardless of what your emotions and feelings are saying to you.

In the place of worry, He'll give you peace. Instead of guilt, Jesus will give you forgiveness. Leave that heavy awful fear with Jesus and He'll give you joy and comfort in its place. And if you'll give up that low self-esteem, Jesus will give you His assurance and confidence.

Picture yourself with that heavy bag of burdens, dropping them at the feet of Jesus, and taking instead His burden, which is easy to carry. I encourage you to consciously relinquish your burden to Jesus, and take His in its place. You'll discover that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary / Part 1

Did you know that most people are lugging an invisible bag of burdens with them all the time: Over their shoulder, on their back, dragging along behind them. It saps their strength and destroys their joy, and damages their testimony for Christ as they constantly struggle with this bag of burdens.

Jesus told us that, "In this world we will have trouble." So, having troubles should come as no surprise. However, Jesus didn't stop with that dismal prediction. He added: "Take heart! I have overcome the world!" Our Savior has overcome the world and its troubles, and that means we don't have to carry heavy burdens with us.

A typical burden we Christians frequently carry around is worry. We worry about our family, our children, our parents. We worry about our job. We worry about our bills, where the money is coming from. We worry about our relationships and we worry about our health. Sometimes it seems some people will manufacture something to worry about, because they wouldn't know what to do if they weren't carrying that heavy burden called worry.

Many Christians carry around guilt, and that is a very heavy burden. Or fear. Fear of the future; fear that bad things will happen; fear that people won't like them; fear of failure; fear of being alone. I see so many Christians who are unhappy with who they are, feeling inadequate and unworthy.

Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28-29, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. But so few of us really ever apply that verse to our lives. Here's a good thought to remember: If it's not light, it's not right. Christians should never carry heavy burdens, because we can always exchange our heavy, ugly burdens for Jesus' light one. He can carry your burdens for you, if you'll just put them down and exchange them for His.

Satan's Scheme's

In order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are notignorant of his schemes.2 Corinthians 2:11

I've noticed that many Christians are somewhat naïve about thedevices Satan uses to tempt us to follow him. The "harmless" office flirtation, the casual attitude toward immorality in the media-it'sas though we are unaware that such schemes can wreck our homes.

The world isn't going to issue warnings. If we are to stand the test,we will have to become more aware of Satan's tactics.

For instance, I've never seen a video rental store that placed warnings above certain movies: "Caution: This movie contains provocative material that could create an addiction to pornography,cause infidelity and violence and result in the loss of your dignity and family.

"There are times when I find I can be vulnerable to the enemy's schemes.

When I am alone. Like most people, I'm tempted when no one else is looking-when I'm away on a trip, isolated from those who know me.

When I'm with someone else who is willing to be a part of Satan's scheme. If the enemy can't get me when I am alone, he throws me with people who tempt me to gossip, or to go with the crowd-to be a people pleaser.

When I am tired. When I tire physically and emotionally, I become susceptible to erroneous thoughts about God, myself and others. I've learned that temptation is easier to withstand when I'm not "livingon the edge." I need to retreat periodically to allow God tore plenish my strength.

When I think I can justify my actions. I am constantly amazed at myability to rationalize wrong choices.I think there's a mistaken tendency to think that these schemes and temptations decrease as we grow older. Biblically and practically speaking.

The mistake is made when we drop our guards toseemingly "small temptations" and give the enemy an opportunity toget a foothold in our lives. "Be on the alert!"

The Teacher,Tommy,And The Little Girl

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children. The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky. TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God up there?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there. Possibly he just doesn't exist.
A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions. The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy:
Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she possibly may not even have one!

A Gift

A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. Proverbs 18:16

What is your gift? What are you good at? What is the thing that people say you’re good at? Before the foundation of the world, God placed the gift inside of you. You are to use that gift to benefit the kingdom of God.

Do you know you can change someone’s life with your gift? God has given each and everyone of us a gift or gifts and we have to move from where we are. Some of us know we have a gift but we sit idly. We do nothing with it. Some of us are afraid to move. Some of us are afraid to go places because we will be uncomfortable. God says to you today, “Don’t worry or be afraid. I am with you all the way”. God is saying to “take the limit off of me. You have tied up my hands with your unbelief. You have tied up my hands with your doubt”.

Some of us don't want to sacrifice or pay the price. We want everything given to us without having to work for it. The Bible says, “faith without works is dead”. Move from where you are. God wants to pour out a blessing that you don't have enough room to receive.

The very fact that your gift will make room for you means that God favors you. When you do what He has placed inside of you to do, He will open doors for you. You will go places and get positions that you aren't even qualified for because you are favored by God. Some of us are worried about money. Some of us don't know where to start. I say to you today to trust God. He didn't give you the gift for you to just work it out by yourself. Give your gift back to God. Allow Him to lead you and guide you in the direction He wants you to go.

God knows our hearts and He will make room for us once we move from where we are and trust Him. We also have to imagine and think the impossible. Think big. Dream big. You’ve got to see yourself going higher. Move from where you are. Do what God wants you to do. Go where He wants you to go. Move from your comfortable place. When you move watch the doors open for you.

Does God Test Us?

Yes. But it's always an open-Book test. With the help of God'sinstruction Book -- the Bible -- you can always pass the test.

1 THESSALONIANS 2:4 NKJ4 . . . even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God whotests our hearts.

God doesn't test you to hurt you, but so you can experience victory. He walks in faith and believes you will win every test. He is like a proud parent who tells their child to "Go out there and show them what you can do," expecting them to win.

In all schooling there is testing to determine whether the material taught has been mastered.

Testing is necessary and even beneficial for the one being tested. You may think you're ready to graduate -- but testingconfronts you with reality.

Testing lets you know how you're doing. If you're not doing so well, turn to God, asking for His help. Spend more time in God's Word and in prayer.

Remember that God's tests are different than the temptations ofthe devil. God's test is whether you will act on His Word.

God never tempts you to do wrong! He never uses evil to test you (James 1:13). God just allows you to overcome evil by acting on His Word -- which is more than enough to put you over.

PSALM 105:19 NKJ19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him.

You should always stand in faith, resisting the devil. God's Word always works -- but not always instantly. From when you take your stand on God's Word to when the answer manifests,constitutes the test.Remember, God is for you -- He's on your side.

Examples Of Why Church Bulletins Should be Edited Before Printing

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals. ------- The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
-------------------------- Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
-------------------------- Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
-------------------------- Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help. --------------------------
Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. --------------------------
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs. --------------------------
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get. --------------------------
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days. --------------------------
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. --------------------------
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice. --------------------------
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones. --------------------------
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children. --------------------------
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered. -------------------------- The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility. -------------------------- Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow. --------------------------
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. --------------------------
This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in t he park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin. --------------------------
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done. --------------------------
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday. --------------------------
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door. --------------------------
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy. --------------------------
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance. --------------------------
The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

What I've Learned

I've learned that we don't have to change friends,If we understand that friends change.
I've learned that something that you do in an instant, can give you heartache for life.
I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words, it may be that last time you see them.
I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I've learned that either you control your attitude, or it controls you.
I've learned that my best friend and I - can do anything or nothing - and still have a good time.
I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you are down, will be the ones who help you get up.
I've learned that sometimes when i am angry i have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them too, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you learned from them, and less to do with how many years you have lived.
I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others, but sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned that just because two people argue, doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.
I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret, it may change you life forever.
I've learned that sometimes the people that you love most in lfe, are taken from you too soon.
I've learned that you can't make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved, and the rest is up to them.
I've learned that no matter how much i care, some people just dont care back. SO TRUE!!!!
I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and just seconds to destroy it.
I've learned that it's not what you have in life, but who you have that counts.
I've learned that you can keep going, long after you think you can't.
I've learned that their are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it.
I've learned that even when you feel you have no more to give, a friend cries out and you find the strength to help them.
I've learned that our backgrounds and circumstances may have influenced our lives, but we are ultimately responsible for who we become.

Kid's Say The Funniest Things

A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his cousin asked him, "How many women can a man marry?" "Sixteen," the boy responded. His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly. "How do you know that?" "Easy," the little boy said. "All you have to do is add it up, like the pastor said, 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer."
----------------------------------------------------------------------After a church service on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to his mother, "Mom, I've decided to become a minister when I grow up." "That's okay with us, but what made you decide that?" "Well," said the little boy, "I have to go to church on Sunday anyway, and I figure it will be more fun to stand up and yell, than to sit and listen.">----------------------------------------------------------------------
A boy was watching his father, a pastor, write a sermon. "How do you know what to say?" he asked. "Why, God tells me." "Oh, then why do you keep crossing things out?"----------------------------------------------------------------------
A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?"----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ms. Terri asked her Sunday School class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories. She was puzzled by Kyle's picture, which showed four people on an airplane, so she asked him which story it was meant to represent. "The Flight to Egypt ," was his reply. Pointing at each figure, Ms. Terri said, "That must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. But who's the fourth person?" "Oh, that's Pontius the pilot!"----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Sunday School Teacher asks, "Now, Johnny, tell me frankly do you say prayers before eating? "No sir," little Johnny replies, "I don't have to. My mom is a good cook."------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the best one. A little girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again. Finally she spoke up, "Grandpa, did God make you?" "Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long time ago." "Oh," she paused, "Grandpa, did God make me too?" "Yes, indeed, honey," he said, "God made you just a little while ago." Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it, isn't He?"

Honor Your Father And Mother Exodus 20:12

Honoring your parents is a command for children of all ages. There is no exception clause in this command that exempts the adult child from responsibility.

I can almost sense you starting to squirm in your seat. Honoring your parents seems risky.

Let me take a few moments to tell you what honoring your parents is, and what it isn't.

Honoring your parents does not mean endorsing irresponsibility or sin. It is not a denial of what they have done wrong as parents. It does not mean you flatter them by "emotionally stuffing" the mistakes they've made or denying the emotional or even the physical pain they may have caused you.

For an adult child, honoring your parents will not place you back under their authority. It does not give them access to manipulate you. It doesn't mean crawling back into the cradle and becoming a helpless child again.

Honoring your parents means choosing to place great value on your relationship with them.Honoring your parents means taking the initiative to improve the relationship.

Honoring your parents means obeying them until you establish yourself as an adult.

Honoring your parents means recognizing what they've done right in your life.Honoring your parents means recognizing the sacrifices they have made for you.

Honoring your parents means praising them for the legacy they are passing on to you.Honoring your parents means seeing them through the eyes of Christ, with understanding and compassion.Honoring your parents means forgiving them as Christ has forgiven you.It is an attitude accompanied by actions that say to your parents, "You are worthy. You have value. You are the person God sovereignly placed in my life."

One Day At A Time

The most useless thing to do ... ........Worry
The greatest Joy....................... ........Giving
The greatest loss.................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work............. ...Helping others
The ugliest personality trait......................Selfishness
The most endangered species...................Dedicated leaders
The greatest "shot in the arm"..................Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome......... ....Fear
Most effective sleeping pill........... ...Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease..... ....Excuses
The most powerful force in life.............. ........Love
The most dangerous pariah.................................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer... ...The brain !
The worst thing to be without...................Hope
The deadliest weapon.... The tongue.......
The two most power-filled words..............."I Can"
The greatest asset.............. ...Faith
The most worthless emotion................Self-pity
The most prized possession................Integrity
The most beautiful attire................ ...A SMILE!
The most powerful channel of communication..... ...Prayer
The most contagious spirit............ .....Enthusiasm
The most important thing in life....... ........GOD

Prayer Guidelines

Prayer is communication with God. Talking with Almighty God isthe greatest privilege you have.

God desires a growing relationship with you. Communication is essential for a relationship to develop. Involve God in everypart of your life: every decision and every action. In that sense you should pray without ceasing -- always being in communication with God.

However, we need special prayer times focused completely on theLord. He is worthy of our time and attention -- and we require this time with Him to develop spiritually.

Remember the instruction given in Psalm 100:4, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise."

Many use the model prayer our Lord gave in Matthew 6:9-13 as a guideline for their special daily prayer time. Some of the principles taught are:
*You are praying to your Father.
*First worship and honor God.
*Pray that God's will be done before praying about your own or others' needs.
*Ask for God's forgiveness and help.
*Finish by praising God.

During times of prayer many find it helpful as a memory aid to have a prayer list of people and things to pray for. Also,keeping a journal of your prayer requests and answers is beneficial and will bless you tremendously as the years go by.Always base your prayer on Scripture. Scripture is God's answer. Receiving from God in prayer involves taking His answer(His Word) to Him and receiving your request by faith.

God Spoke

Hebrews 4:12 Amplified Bible (AMP)12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

The Word of God is alive and powerful. You will find that the Word of God has the power to change life. God spoke and the earth was. You live in a world that exists because God spoke. So what do you think will happen when you put God's Words in your mouth. What will happen when you speak the living and active Word of God?

John 1:1 New International Version (NIV)1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

When you use God's Words you put God to work. Use God's Words and you will get God's results.

God spoke –I dare not listen.I could not face the stillness of simply being there.God spoke: there were no words –I simply saw the suffering of others.I could not share the stillness of simply being there.One day I knew God could not speak -I used my eyes, I saw and felt the suffering of multitudes –I listened to their cries –then cautiously I whispered“I am here”and from my helplessness I knew -that God was there.
Malcolm Evison

Happy 4th Of July
May God Bless This Country
And Our Service Men And Women!

Are Children A Blessing Or A Burden?

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.Psalm 127:3,5

Many parents today feel like kids are a burden. That's not what the Bible calls them. It doesn't say, "Behold, children are a burden of the Lord," or "Burdened is the man whose quiver is full of them.

"Our views have become distorted. What we see as a burden, God sees as a blessing. Some of us need to knock the windows out of our corrupted views and let the Spirit of God come into our homes and refresh our hearts and minds so we can see clearly again that children are a blessing.

We want life to be easy, or at least bearable. And when children make our lives difficult, we begin to feel they are burdens. But we fail to realize what God makes clear-our children are gifts from God. God has given us our children for His glory and our good.

In the same way, you need to receive your children as gifts from God. If you do, your whole attitude will change. No longer will you try to change your kids...no longer will you consider them burdens. Instead, you'll view them as true blessings from God entrusted to you.

Be Christ-Like

The more Christ-like we are, the more we take on the responsibility of relieving burdens from others. Christ relieved our burden of sin and death. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

To be Christ-like is to be a burden reliever! This week, what measures have you taken to relieve someone’s burden?
Spend some time today, praying and asking the LORD to reveal to you how you might be a burden reliever today. How can you carry someone’s burden? Please don’t become so engrossed in your own pleasure and well-being that you have no concern for those who suffer around you. Be Christ-like!

Here are a few ideas: Call someone and encourage them, pray for them and ask if there is a specific way you can make their day a little better? Consider helping someone who needs financial assistance. Let someone know that you specifically prayed for their burden to be lifted. Give away something you have to someone that needs it worse that you

Go Ye Mean's Go Me

It is possible to be told "Go!" with the speaker's desire to send us away because they simply want us out of there. "Go!" "Get away!" "Get out of here!" Each of these could convey the desire to have us to leave and getaway from them. They may not care where we go or what we do, they just want us gone!

Other times we might be told "Go!" because we are being sent to do something; being sent to fulfill a specific task. Perhaps the "Go!" in that context is easier to accept.

If someone tells us "Go!" -- meaning "Get out of here!" -- AS WE GO we might wonder what we did to make them so mad that they didn't want us around. To be treated in such a way could cause all kinds of things to go through our mind causing us to not feel good about the situation. However,when told "Go!" with a specific task in mind, AS WE GO our mind may begin pouring over ways in which we can fulfill the purpose of our going and our eyes may be watchful for the opportunities that arise to do so.

Jesus told His disciples to ."(19) GO therefore AND MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20 )TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. And behold, I amwith you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)

When Jesus told His disciples to "Go!" it was not for the purpose of getting rid of them. In the text above He told them He would be with them"always, to the end of the age." (vs.20) Jesus told them "Go!" because He was sending them on a mission. The Greek word "poreuomai" translated "go"(according to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) means to go on one's way or proceed from one place to another. Strong's Lexicon meaning being "to pursue the journey on which one has entered" or "to continue on one's journey." The tense in which the word is used in this passage seems to convey the sense of "AS YOU GO."

While going through the journey of life there is to be for us a continuing mission of observing all that the Lord had commanded the disciples to do. That would include making disciples by teaching them of Jesus, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe what Jesus had commanded, and the cycle continues as it began with the Lord's disciples.

AS WE GO may we keep our eyes open and minds prepared for the opportunities along the way.

The Beauty Of It All

Who is like you, O Lord? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glory working wonders. Exodus 15:11

I love the summer time. Everything is beautiful. The beach is my favorite place on earth, I go there as often as I can. Whenever I’m there I really see God’s beauty in His creation. Just watching the waves come in and out, with the sun over the horizon. I really draw closer to the Lord when I’m on the beach. We take so much for granted. The beauty around us on a daily basis. We are always complaining that we never have time to relax and take it all in. The real problem is we don’t take the time. We get so caught up in every day things, that we don’t take the time to look around us and thank God for His amazing creation. Even when we are in the car driving we have a cell phone to our ear, and the radio turned up as loud as possible. God made this beautiful world for us to live on and to enjoy. He shines the most through His creation. Everything He has made works together perfectly. The ocean with all its beauty is world of its own. And every creature under the water has a purpose. Every person has a purpose on this earth and that is to glorify the Lord of all creation. Days go by too fast, we need to take time to enjoy the wonders the Lord has created. One day this week set aside time to watch the sunset. A sunset lasts about 15 minutes. Take that time to glorify the Maker of all! .

A Snake In The Grass Or Meek As A Lamb

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

Have you ever been in a situation where you were taken advantage of and were left with that sick, 'why did I do that' feeling inside? Or, maybe you were disappointed with yourself for being so gullible and perhaps even felt some anger inside. Well, the Bible has a surefire solution to this all too common situation we sometimes find ourselves in. It is called wisdom, and it is given to us in good measure.

The verse tells us that we are to be 'wise as serpents'. Does this mean we are literally supposed to be like a snake and go around biting people who might want to take advantage of or cause harm to us? The answer is no, at least not in a literal sense. A snake knows when to proceed or not based on the 'vibrations' it feels by activity around it. It knows when to move ahead, stay put, or back away to a safer location. It usually does this without causing harm to anything.

So also, as the snake, Christians should be aware of what is going on around them in the world. We have been provided with wisdom, the equivalency of the snakes "vibration radar', to 'feel out' a given situation wisely and act accordingly. As the second part of the verse instructs us, we should do this with a gentle spirit. As Proverbs 15:1 tells us "A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger."

In any given situation, especially when sharing the Gospel with unbelievers, we always want to leave the door open to return at a time when the individual might be more willing to hearing what we have to say. So, just as Jesus did, use your gifts, talents and opportunities wisely, while at the same time, be aware of using gentleness to either defuse or proceed in a given situation.

Pride And Selfishness

PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4 NKJ3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Pride and selfishness always go together. A truly humble person cannot be selfish.

Pride is self-importance and self-focus -- which leads to selfishness which is selfish thinking and selfish acting -- the opposite of Jesus' command of agape love in John 13:34.

Pride produces selfishness. All selfishness is a manifestation of pride -- thinking you are better, or more important, than others.Pride is the root of selfishness -- and thus the root of all evil. Pride is hidden but manifests as selfish acts.

JAMES 3:16 TEV16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.Selfishness causes all evil. All evil proceeds from selfish actions. Selfishness is the only manifest problem, but pride feeds it. Dealing with the root cause of the problem is the only lasting solution.

Is Everybody Happy?

What are you waiting for?

Most people are waiting for something -- something "special"that will make their life great, so they can be happy.

Ask yourself: have others had this, and are they all happy? No,they're not, and it won't give you lasting happiness, either.

Happiness is not determined by external circumstances, but by internal circumstances.

Everyone chooses how happy they are by what they choose tothink about.

Your attitude is determined by your perspective, which is determined by what you think about -- your focus. You choose your focus, so ultimately, you are the one who chooses whetherto be happy, or not.

Perspective is what the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) are about.Seeing a bigger picture than just this one small moment of time. (The Beatitudes are where Jesus explained how some areblessed, or happy -- even in difficult situations.)(The word we translate as "happy" in the New Testament is usually translated as "blessed.")

You won't get happiness by chasing what the world has to offer.It has already been tried and found wanting.And, you will never be happy as long as you are self-centered.A focus on self is guaranteed to prevent happiness.

You will be happy if you help others. If you take your focus off yourself. That's what Jesus taught.

Faithful In Little Thing's

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."Luke 16:10

Are you trustworthy?
Can others count on you?
Do you want to know how to be original in a culture of copycats?Do you want to be a part of a vanishing breed in today's generation?

If so, then become a person who is faithful. You know, a person who follows through. One whom others can count on whether things are rough or smooth. His word is good on the little stuff, as well as the big stuff. He's the kind of person who promises to call-and does so-on time. He says he'll do it and he does-exactly like you have asked for it to be done.

Are you known as a faithful person? If you are, then here are a few of the words that can be used to describe you: Trustworthy, dependable, reliable, true-blue and responsible. All of the names are saturated with one recurring theme, character. Character quietly, yet convincingly, says, "You can count on me-at any cost!"

Faithfulness. Strange, isn't it, that such a simple thing would be in such short supply?

Today, our oatmeal is ready to eat in 60 seconds, our pictures can be developed in 60 minutes and our houses can be built in 60 days. We are a culture that is used to getting what we want instantly. We aren't accustomed to working patiently, or waiting on anything-even a hamburger.

Be Thankful For What You Have

COLOSSIANS 3:15 CEV15 Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comesfrom Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.

If you are reading this, there are literally millions of people who would trade places with you. They envy you and would bevery grateful to enjoy all that you do.

Usually the more someone has, the less thankful they become.So how can you overcome ingratitude? Only by changing your beliefs. As long as you believe you're getting a raw deal, or less than you deserve, you will never become a thankful person.

An attitude of gratitude is the result of what we focus on.Remember, you deserved punishment. Instead, God gave you what He deserved, and EVERYTHING you have -- every breath -- is a gift. Keep this in focus and you will become a thankful person.

(An extra bonus is that a thankful person is a happy person.)

HEBREWS 13:5 NIV5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

What could be greater? Almighty God promises to always takecare of you! Never will you be forsaken! Never will you be left facing life all alone! (You may feel forsaken, but it's a lie.)A rewarding, satisfying, and fulfilling life does not depend on being rich. Jesus is the one who told us, and He knows.

LUKE 12:15 LB15 Beware! Don't always be wishing for what you don't have. Forreal life and real living are not related to how rich we are."

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, May you all enjoy your day.

What Makes A Dad.
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night, The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad

Author unknown

36 Christian Way's To Reduce Stress

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.

"1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps,! etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)