Because Of Me

 

Dear Friend,

We should always remember the willing sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sins.  Only by the finished work of the cross can any of us receive forgiveness, redemption and a new beginning.  The Lord in His infinite love and mercy chose to take upon Himself our sins and die in our place.  Such love is incomprehensible, yet thankfully exists to all who open their hearts to our Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ.  Be encouraged to remember the great price that was paid for your salvation.  While anyone can be saved, it cost God a great price to bring salvation to mankind.  Be thankful that your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life and if you have never made the decision to accept Christ, you are welcome to make that life changing decision today.  (Isaiah 53:7-11) (Romans 10:9-13)

I hope this message inspires and challenges your heart to remember at what a great cost your salvation comes.  We don't deserve such grace, but God in His mercy saw that we were.

BECAUSE OF ME

“Why is that man so ugly, and the mommy so pretty?”  Five-year-old Nancy tugged on her mother's arm, and pointed.

“Sh! Sh!” said her mother.  “You wouldn't want them to hear, would you?”

“But Mommy, he's ugly!  How can that pretty lady stand to look at him?”

The mother glanced toward the couple her daughter was pointing at, quickly taking her child away.  But every day during the sea cruise, they saw the couple.  Whenever they did, Nancy buried her face in her mother's clothes.  “Mommy, I just can't stand to look at him.  He is so ugly,” she would say.

One day Nancy and her mother, Maria, were on deck, enjoying the sea breeze.  The beautiful woman came and stood beside them.  She spoke a soft greeting, smiling down at Nancy. Smiling shyly back, while snuggling close to her mother, the little girl blurted out.  “Why are you so pretty, and your husband so ugly?”

Maria gasped at her daughter's rude question.  She was about to scold her when the young woman spoke.  “No, wait!” she said,  “I've noticed your child looking at us quite often.  I would like to tell her a story about my husband, if you will let me.”

Maria, although quite embarrassed, nodded her consent.

“First,” began the young woman,  “My name is Rosella.  What is yours?”  Learning that the child's name was Nancy, and her mother's was Marie, Rosella invited the two to a table, and ordered three glasses of lemonade.  And then she began her story.

“Five years ago my mother and I were visiting in Florida, where we were staying at a hotel.  At the same time there were some service men billeted at the same hotel.  One very handsome colonel took special notice of me, persisting that I dine with him.  He sent flowers to my room numerous times, and smiled at me every time I happened to come across him.  My mother encouraged me to accept his offer of a meal.  So, at last I did.  It was then he told me that he had fallen in love with me.  He asked me if I would like to see him on a regular basis.  But I found him most obnoxious, and tried my best to ignore him.”

“On one particular day I was especially rude to him, and I know it really hurt him.  I had gone into the hotel gift shop to pick up a book to read.  And there it was that I came face to face with the colonel.  He smiled.  He had a beautiful smile, and it made his already handsome face--well, he had the face of an angel.  But I didn't return his smile.  I flung my head in the air, and walked right by him.  I heard him say, 'I guess this is your way of telling me to get lost.'  I continued on to my room, and went to bed.  My mother was already asleep, and it wasn't long before I was.”

“About two hours later we were jolted out of bed by the most ear splitting sound.  My mother and I scrambled into our housecoats.  It was then we heard the frightening words.  'FIRE! FIRE!'  Already we could see the smoky, orange shadows encircling the hotel.  Colonel Brown--that was his name--was one of the first ones out of the hotel.  He watched as the hotel guests fled to the safety of the fresh air.  His eyes frantically searched the group in the court yard, but my mother and I were not there.  He dashed inside to see if we had made it to the lobby. We hadn't.”

“Firemen were all around, but although they tried to stop him, Lionel broke by them, dashing through the flames to our room.  He kicked the door open.  My mother and I, trapped and frozen with fright, were just deciding if jumping out the window was an option.  It wouldn't have been.  We were three floors up.”

Nancy and her mother hadn't touched their lemonade, so engrossed were they in Rosella's story.  Nancy had gripped her mother's hand and her eyes were brimming with tears.  Rosella paused for a minute, sipping on her lemonade; then she continued.

“Lionel snatched two blankets off the bed, and flung them at us.  'Wrap this around your face,' he commanded—and it WAS a command. Then tossing a small towel around his own face, he commanded, 'Grab my arms, and don't let go until we are outside.'”

“Blindly, we allowed ourselves to be guided by Lionel, until we were safely outside.  But what we hadn't realized was that the towel had come off Lionel's face.  His face was burned beyond recognition.  He was taken immediately to the hospital where he was treated for burns all over his body.”

“For weeks his life hung on a thread, his face bound completely with bandages.  Although he couldn't see me, he knew I was there.  My mother, by that time, had gone home.  Every day I sat by Lionel's bed, holding his hand and talking soothingly to him.  At last they took off his bandages.”

“Gone was the handsome face...But to me it was beautiful, more beautiful than it had ever been.  He had received those scars because of me.  If he hadn't fallen in love with me, I would have been just another hotel guest, and he wouldn't have known to single me out and worry over my mother's and my safety.”

“During those weeks of attending Lionel, I had fallen in love with him.  While he floated in and out of consciousness, I crooned to him how my scorn had turned to concern, and my concern had slowly been replaced by love.  As soon as he was released from the hospital, we married, and have grown more in love with each other every day.”

“But how can you stand to look at him?” persisted Nancy.

Rosella smiled.  “I don't see his scarred face.  I see the face of the man he was before he became scarred.  And I see the face of the one who loved me enough to risk his life for me.  I see the face of the man who loved me long before I loved him.  I see the face of God, because that is what Jesus did—became scarred because of me.”

Nancy and her mother saw Lionel and Rosella one more time before they left the ship.  Timidly Nancy tiptoed up to Lionel, and smiling shyly, she slipped her hand into his.  She tugged on his arm.  Lionel, suspecting that she wanted to say something to him, bent his head towards hers.  He had been used to being looked at scornfully.  He had heard the remarks of both adults and children alike.  He had learned to ignore them.  But he was not expecting what Nancy had to say.

“Mr. Lionel,” she said, smiling up at him.  “I don't think that you are ugly anymore.  I think you have a beautiful face.”

By Helen Dowd

In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry
http://www.Godswork.org
 

 

               

                                                                                                   True Love

 

I'm not sure I can always tell love from passion.  One father said of his teenaged son, "I don't know if he's in love or in heat!"  What teenager would know?  Besides, feelings of attraction can change more quickly than a pouty expression.

But love, in its truest form, is greater than feelings.  It is as much a decision as it is a feeling.

Love is what Mr. and Mrs. Strauss shared.  Mrs. Isadore Strauss was one of the few first class women passengers to go down with the Titanic in 1912, and she drowned because she could not bear to leave her husband.  They remained calm throughout the excitement of the sinking vessel.  They both aided frightened women and children to find places aboard lifeboats.  Finally, Mr. Strauss, who had repeatedly urged his wife to claim a spot safely aboard a lifeboat, forced her to enter one.

She was seated but a moment, however, when she sprang up and climbed back on deck before he could stop her.  There, she caught his arm, snuggling it familiarly against her side, and exclaimed,  "We have been long together for a great many years.  We are old now.  Where you go, I will go."

Where you go, I will go.  It is a decision to be together, come what may.  I suspect she said something like that to him many times before. Maybe the words she used were different, but the meaning was the same.  I want to be with you.  Let's do this together.

Where you go, I will go.  It's a decision to love.  It is deciding to be there, wherever "there" may be.  It is a decision to sacrifice, if sacrifice is needed.  And it is choosing to re-decide it all over again tomorrow and the next day and the next.  As the ship sank beneath icy water on that cold and dark, April night, the Strausses merely re-made a decision they had made many times before throughout their life together.  They decided on each other.

Where you go, I will go.  At the heart of true love is often a decision, made again and again, to face the next day together … hand in hand.

-- Steve Goodier
http://stevegoodier.blogspot.com/
 

                  

Are You Seeing Stars?

 

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. - 1 John 5:14-15.

Eighteen-year-old Kimberley Vlaminck is seeing stars; at least she sees them whenever she looks in a mirror.  She is seeing stars in the mirror because she now has 56 stars tattooed on her face.  Kimberley claims that the tattoo artist at the Tattoo Boy shop in Courtrai, Belgium misunderstood her because of his poor command of English and French.  Kimberley went to sleep while the artist was working and woke up seeing stars.

Kimberley in tears said this about her condition,  "It is horrible, he has turned me into a freak.  I can’t go out on the street now without people looking at me."

However, the tattoo artist Rouslan Toumaniantz says that Kimberley "got what she wanted."  Rouslan also indicated that Kimberley only became upset after her Dad became angry and her boyfriend left her.  Kimberley is now suing so that she can obtain the funds necessary to have the stars removed from her face.

In life, it is true that sometimes we get what we ask for and when we do; the result, the outcome is sometimes very bad.  Spiritually, we can always have a good outcome by seeking and asking according to God’s will.  We can have "confidence" that if we ask "anything according to His will" that we will receive what we "asked of Him."  God loves you so much that Jesus suffered and died for you  (John 3:16).  Of course, God wants the very best for your life.  Of course, God’s will to be done in your life is the very best thing that could happen because,  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9)."

How often though do we turn in every direction except to God when we have needs?  You need a job and so without any prayer you immediately start contacting friends, networking, sending out resumes, and filling out applications.  You are facing the prospect of having your electricity turned off because of failure to pay for it, or you are unable to pay for your medications, or feed your family - so what do you do?  Rob a bank?

What does Jesus say in Matthew 6:33? "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness…." Everything in our lives should be bathed in prayer.  Before you jump to conclusions and in your desperation wake up seeing stars you ought to first…PRAY!  Before you give up on ever having meaning and purpose in your life you should first…PRAY!  Before you take that jump and do something crazy, take some time to…PRAY!  Before you give in to your addiction as being something that is impossible to overcome…PRAY!  Before you have someone give you 56 star tattoos on your face, maybe you ought take a moment and…PRAY!!!!  As the apostle Paul puts it, we ought to "pray without ceasing (pray continually - NIV) in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you  (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)."

Copyright © 2009. Ed Wrather.
The Burning Bush
http://www.theburningbush.net
http://www.theburningbush.org

 

                

 

Caves At The Seashore

 

 

 

I remember reading a story once about a man who was exploring some caves by the seashore.  In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.  It was like someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake.  They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the cave with him.  As he strolled along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw.  He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock.  Inside was a beautiful, precious stone.  Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls.  Each contained a similar treasure.  He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him.  He had been on the beach a long time.  He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves.  Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have had tens of thousands, but he just threw it all away.

You know sometimes, it's like that with people.  We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel.  It doesn't look like much from the outside.  It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.

But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person by God.  There is a treasure hidden in every one of us.  The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  I don't think he means just our physical bodies.  I think he means our spiritual selves, which are sometimes hidden from others by the *earthen vessel*

But if you take the time to get to know that person, and if you ask the Father to show you that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.

~ Author Unknown ~

 

         

 

Discerning True Signs Of Our Lord

 

A church Historian, Roland Bainton, wrote a classic book called "The Travail of Religious Liberty."  In it he tells how an American doctor, Victor Heiser, served as the health officer for Manila in the Philippines during a cholera epidemic.  News came "of a miracle in the bay, for a fisherman had observed upon the surface of the water a black streak in the form of a cross and the water was sweet.  The people had been needing water, and thought this was a sign and solution for their need.

The fisherman summoned a minister, who confirmed the miracle.  The people then paddled out with bottles and drank of what they felt was holy liquid. Further investigation revealed the black streak, in the form of a cross on the water, to be a result of a break in the sewer.  The doctor then appealed to the militia to suppress what they first thought was a miracle.  He was told that a riot might be expected..."

This shows us things are not always as they may appear to our natural eyes.  Many today seek after signs and wonders.  The Bible says "signs follow believers" and yet, we see believers following after signs instead.  Many things which may appear to be a sign from God have nothing to do with the work of God.  Satan himself can appear as an angel of light and in the last days, we know there will be many false signs and wonders.

We have seen or read recently of many things which people thought were miracles or signs, but they did not point to or glorify the Savior.  A sign or wonder always points to God, and brings glory to the Lord.  In the above example, we see a need of the people.  In their haste, they partook of water which could cause great bodily harm, thinking it was the result of a miracle.  Today, people have needs in their lives and search for the answer.  Many are given words of men that do not agree with the words of the Lord.  In their haste also, they obey the commands of men, instead of searching the Scriptures to see what "thus sayeth the Lord."  God has living water, but many today drink at dead cisterns which cannot give them life, as Jesus intends.

Just because something may look good, or words may seem to be words of God, we must search the Scriptures and see if they be of God or man.  Many words spoken by men, including lies of Satan, are recorded in God's Word and all Scripture was given for our understanding. Job called his accusers "forgers of lies" and all physicians of no value.  They failed to recognize the divine dealings of God, character of Job, and work of Satan in Job's life in an attempt to get him to turn from God.  Satan's plan failed, and Job stayed true to the Lord God through all his many trials.

Gamaliel, a Pharisee, and Doctor of the Law, stood up to speak of Paul and other Apostles, saying "refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.  (Acts 5: 3-39)  This statement made of the work of Paul has not always been true in every case but is true of Paul, as shown in God's Word.  We know the power was of the Lord.

There are many false religions and cults in the world which have succeeded for years, and still continue.  To say that "all that is not of God will fail" has not always been the case in this world now.  The growth of some of the large cult religions has been tremendous, and some may not come to naught until Babylon and the false religious system is destroyed by the Lord.  Many will be deceived in the last days and follow new age doctrine and religions.  The old saying, '"you can't always judge a book by its cover" is so true, and we must seek to have spiritual perception.

We see the work of many missionaries and men and women of God cut short, due to persecution or death. Gamaliel was correct in that God backed the work of the Apostles with true signs and wonders.  In their case, He spoke the truth, and was speaking specifically of these servants of God, but not of all men in general.

God inspired the Apostles and worked wonders through the founders of Christianity, who were rejected men.  Many followers of Christ were despised.  Only though God's help and inspiration were they able to be victorious, work miracles, and see Christianity stand.

As we seek the Lord for his godly wisdom and discernment, He will lead and guide us into all truths by His spirit.  We see his truths in His Holy Word pointing us in the right direction and also can observe wonders around us of our Creator, who makes all things new.  We must be as the Bereans and be noble minded with a desire to search the Scriptures and see if the things we hear be true.  God will reveal His truths and leads in the straight and narrow way.  Look to God's Word each day, for in it we find a road map with signs being fulfilled, pointing toward our soon coming King.  Keep pressing on each day in faith, for we know up ahead are the lights of home!

Blessings In Christ,
Jo Ann Kelly © 2009, 2006
J. P.'s Inspirations
http://www.my.homewithgod.com/jpinspirations/
 

 

      

 

 

The Trickle

 

My Jeep battery was dead this morning.  I had just returned from a weeklong trip.  The Jeep is only six months old.  The battery is big and new.  I hadn't left any lights on.  What happened with the Jeep happens to many of us.

I had three power adapters plugged into the cigarette lighter sockets.  I had installed a triple cigarette lighter socket.  I don't smoke but I have a lot of gadgets that need plugging up.  I have three cell phones.  What in the world do I need with three cell phones?  That's another story. None of the phones were plugged up, only the three power adapters were plugged up, and their little LED lights were glowing.  Even though they have very low power drains, these three little lights, completely drained a big, powerful, and new battery.

That illustrated a very important life lesson.  Constant withdrawals without deposits will eventually run your account dry.  No matter how small the withdrawal, sooner or later, your account will run dry.

That's what happens with most marriages.  Little by little, day-by-day, small withdrawals are made from the love bank.  A slight criticism here, a minor remark there, a compliment opportunity missed, and the love bank in a few years is dry.  The relationship won't start.

In all things, make sure that you add more than you take.  No matter how small, let the trickle be positive.  When you do that, not only will your own battery never run dry, you'll have enough power left over to boost someone else off.

~A MountainWings Original~
http://www.mountainwings.com/

 

      

 

 

Be Still

 

"Be still and know that I am God"
The Master speaks so tenderly to His own,
Look around you at all of creation
Feel my presence and know you are never alone.

The beauty of the evening sunset
Sinking low at end of day,
Seems to say it is "time to rest"
Come spend some time with God as your pray.

Be still and sense the flowing breeze
The wind sweeping so gently through the trees,
You can almost feel the very breath of God
He speaks to your heart as your love He sees.

The birds of the air and fish of the sea
Are cared for by our Father up above,
He provides for all living things we see,
The wonder of His presence fills the earth with His love.

Rains from the heaven seem to speak to creation
Telling the earth to be fruitful and blessed,
The blooming flowers and budding trees,
Show forth God's care after a season of rest.

Be still and sense His presence
His love will sweep across your soul,
Our Good Shepherd designed and created this beautiful world,
He makes us a brand new creation and sheep of His fold.

No one but He could make lights of the heaven to shine
He placed the sun and moon in the heavens for a sign,
No one else could make Earth, Jupiter, and Mars,
Only our Lord could make and call out the beautiful stars.

The colors of the landscape all across this earth
Are a beauty to behold each new day,
The golden fields of grain swaying in the breeze,
Remind us to thank our God as we talk to Him and pray.

Be still and feel the presence of our Creator
There is One who sits on Heaven's throne,
Be still and know He is as close as the mention of His name,
With His Spirit in your heart, you will never be alone.

"BE STILL"

Jo Ann Kelly © 2004
J. P.'s Inspirations
http://www.my.homewithgod.com/jpinspirations/

 

 

 

         

 

 

Can You Say Awe?

 

 

 
Albert Einstein said that wonder is the source of all true art and all science.  "He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed."

I remember standing in rapt awe when I gazed upon the wonders of the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu in Peru.  That amazing city was built above the clouds, and it was more than the high altitude that took my breath away.  Can you say, "Awe"?

I'm reminded of the little girl who rode a train with her mother.  Looking out the window, she exclaimed, "Look! A horse!"  And a moment later,  "Look! Houses!"

She gave every indication of keeping this up, so her embarrassed mother apologized to the man next to her.  "I'm sorry my daughter is going on like this," she said.  "She still thinks everything is wonderful."

When do we stop thinking everything is wonderful?  When we grow up?  When do we stop saying, "Awe"?  Does growing older mean growing jaded?  And must we travel to faraway places to marvel once again?  Can't we experience wonder and awe today - this moment?

The slice of raisin toast I ate this morning was no less marvelous today than when I first tasted it.  But I did not notice how good it really was.  I think that few things are commonplace in themselves –it's our reaction to them that grows dull over the years.

A man on his way to lunch happened to notice a visitor in Venice's Piazza San Marco standing among the pigeons and gazing in apparent rhapsody at the Doge's Palace.  After his meal he noticed the same man still studying the magnificent structure.  Curious as to whether he'd been standing there all morning, he asked the man,  "How long have you been here?"

"Twenty six years," came the reply, "and I never grow tired of it."

As Einstein observed, those who will "pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe" will TRULY LIVE.  They will see what others miss.  They will feel what others cannot.  Life will be for them both exquisite and mysterious when they learn to say, "Awe."

-- Steve Goodier
http://stevegoodier.blogspot.com/

 

 

          

 

On The Right Track

 

 

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:."

----2 Peter 1: 10
********************
A story is told about a train conductor who was taking up tickets from the passengers on a long trip.  He came to the first man and after looking at his ticket said, "you're on the wrong train and will have to change trains at the next station."

When he came to the next passenger, he looked at their ticket and said the same thing.  After taking up more tickets and telling these they were wrong also, something finally dawned on him.  He was the one who had boarded the wrong train!  He was on the wrong track and not headed toward the right destination.

People can be like the conductor of the train if they do not make their calling and election sure, by letting God reveal to them the right way. We are to walk in the right path, which God leads us on, and not forsake His ways.  The Lord has come to seek and to save those who are lost. All men are only a step away from Him, and also one heartbeat.  If they will turn around in repentance, they will find His loving arms there, waiting to welcome them into the family of God.

Let us make sure to examine our own hearts and make sure we are in the faith delivered to the saints of the Bible.  There is a way that may seem right to men, but the end thereof will be the way of death, if not God's way.  There is only one path leading to glory and it is straight and narrow.

We give thanks for God's Word and His Holy Spirit which leads, guides, and directs us, as we trust in the Lord with all our heart.  In all our ways, He will direct our paths as we acknowledge Him.  All glory is due our Lord and Savior, for He is our Conductor of life's railway to heaven.  If we are on the right track, we are heaven bound, our reservation has been made and our ticket has been paid.  It has been signed with the blood of Jesus, freely given, by God's grace which is still amazing.

Blessings In Christ,
© 2009, 2007... by Jo Ann Kelly
J. P.'s Inspirations
http://www.my.homewithgod.com/jpinspirations/

 

 

       

 

                                                                                                      Cowboy In Heaven

 

 

 

(Family and friends.......I'm still laughing at this......Rick)

A Texas cowboy appeared before St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.  "Have you ever done anything of particular merit?" St. Peter asked.

"Well, I can think of one thing," the cowboy offered.  "Once, on a trip to the Black Hills out in South Dakota , I came upon a gang of bikers, who were threatening a young woman.  I directed them to leave her alone, but they wouldn't listen.  So, I approached the largest and most heavily tattooed biker and smacked him in his face, kicked his bike over, ripped out his ear ring, and threw it on the ground.

I yelled, "Now, back off!!  Or I'll kick the crap out of all of you!"

St. Peter was impressed,  "When did this happen?"

"Just a couple minutes ago ...."