GENTLENESS. I'm always overwhelmed with the amazing gentleness of Jesus Christ. Oh, how we need to wear His gentleness to work everyday. We need that gentle and quiet spirit which Peter tells us is precious in the sight of God.
Often our words can pierce and hurt people before we realize what we're doing. We need to pray for a gentle tongue. Gentle answers turn away anger, as we are told in Proverbs 15:1, and a gentle spirit brings peace to chaotic situations. It is a precious garment, and everyone will love it on you!
August 29, 2008
August 26, 2008
Our Wardrobe (Humility)
The third garment in this special wardrobe is HUMILITY.
The world system often gives negative connotations to humility, as though it was weak or wimpy. But that's an incorrect assessment of true humility. The Bible defines humility as a lack of pride, and an awareness of who we are in comparison to who God is. If your assessment of yourself is inflated, and you have a "know-it-all" attitude, you're not wearing humility, and you're missing an important outfit in your wardrobe.
The world system often gives negative connotations to humility, as though it was weak or wimpy. But that's an incorrect assessment of true humility. The Bible defines humility as a lack of pride, and an awareness of who we are in comparison to who God is. If your assessment of yourself is inflated, and you have a "know-it-all" attitude, you're not wearing humility, and you're missing an important outfit in your wardrobe.
August 25, 2008
Our Wardrobe (Kindness)
KINDNESS
Is the second garment in the closet of a well dressed Christian. Have you been too busy to wear any kindness lately? Do you take it on and off, depending on your mood or who you're with? Sometimes we are least kind to the people we're with the most. It seems we save our kind behavior for people we don't see very often, as though it were in short supply. We really need to show kindness to those people we work with. God has plenty of it, so wear it to work everyday. You'll look terrific!
Note: I started with this series on June the 10th it was on Compassion and I got side tracked so I would like to finish the series.Sorry about that!
Is the second garment in the closet of a well dressed Christian. Have you been too busy to wear any kindness lately? Do you take it on and off, depending on your mood or who you're with? Sometimes we are least kind to the people we're with the most. It seems we save our kind behavior for people we don't see very often, as though it were in short supply. We really need to show kindness to those people we work with. God has plenty of it, so wear it to work everyday. You'll look terrific!
Note: I started with this series on June the 10th it was on Compassion and I got side tracked so I would like to finish the series.Sorry about that!
August 20, 2008
Something To Think About
She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room.. She said: 'How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?'The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it.'
Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you,
God, when my son needed you?' The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university.
' Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.
The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.
Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.
The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.
She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.
It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:
'Dear Mom,
I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You'. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you goodbye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'where was He when I needed him?' God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.
Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore the cancer is all gone.. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?
Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.
Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you,
God, when my son needed you?' The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university.
' Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.
The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.
Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.
The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.
She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.
It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:
'Dear Mom,
I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You'. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you goodbye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'where was He when I needed him?' God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.
Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore the cancer is all gone.. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?
Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.
August 19, 2008
A Holy Man and the Lord
A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like."
The Lord led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, "I don't understand."
It is simple," said the Lord. "It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you.
The Lord led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, "I don't understand."
It is simple," said the Lord. "It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you.
August 13, 2008
Cutting Corners Psalms 127:1
Dad and Son was a very prominent housing construction business. One day Dad called his son and gave him an assignment to build a twenty room mansion while he traveled to expand their business. Spare no expense on the best materials his father said, and I'll see you in about eight months. The son was eager to start the work and please his father. But when choosing the foundation he began building on sandstone instead of granite. He thought this house will last for at least forty years before anyone discovers it's unstable. Then he thought about other ways that he could save on expenses and pocket the money. He cut corners everywhere he could by using inferior materials on the overall structure of the house. But throughout the interior and exterior the house was very beautiful. He thought to himself; dad will be pleased and no one will ever no that I saved thousands of dollars. His father returned and they took a look at the completed twenty room mansion. The son handed his father the keys and said well dad what do you think? The father stared at the house for a while, then he scratched his head. He turned and handed the keys back to his son and said I think you deserve this house!
Did the father know that his son had cut corners on the building, of course he did? The same way that God knows it when we fail to build with the right spiritual materials. The son had only to imitate his father by following his father's instructions and he would have pleased his father. The bible gives us instructions from our Father on how to build our spiritual house. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it (Psalm 127:1). We must be very careful not to cut corners in building our personal lives in Christ. Living single requires building interdependence with God. Marriages must be built on the foundation of Christ and his church, not on physical attraction, fleeting emotion or financial stability. Our children's growth and development must be built from the stable foundation of a spiritual not religious home. This is what the Lord meant when he said, "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). He builds us individually, practically, socially, collectively and spiritually.
The evil son made the house appear beautiful outwardly but the inward foundation and structure was unstable, he reaped what he sowed. He showed no respect for his father's business. Blessed is every one that fears the Lord that walks in his ways (Psalm 128:1). For we are laborers together with God, you are God's husbandry, you are God's building (I Corinthians 3:9).
Did the father know that his son had cut corners on the building, of course he did? The same way that God knows it when we fail to build with the right spiritual materials. The son had only to imitate his father by following his father's instructions and he would have pleased his father. The bible gives us instructions from our Father on how to build our spiritual house. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it (Psalm 127:1). We must be very careful not to cut corners in building our personal lives in Christ. Living single requires building interdependence with God. Marriages must be built on the foundation of Christ and his church, not on physical attraction, fleeting emotion or financial stability. Our children's growth and development must be built from the stable foundation of a spiritual not religious home. This is what the Lord meant when he said, "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). He builds us individually, practically, socially, collectively and spiritually.
The evil son made the house appear beautiful outwardly but the inward foundation and structure was unstable, he reaped what he sowed. He showed no respect for his father's business. Blessed is every one that fears the Lord that walks in his ways (Psalm 128:1). For we are laborers together with God, you are God's husbandry, you are God's building (I Corinthians 3:9).
August 7, 2008
The Brick
A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down
when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.
'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door.
He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.
when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.
'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door.
He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.
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