A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

An Age Of Instant Gratification

We live in an age of instant gratification. None of us is immune. We want instant answers to prayers. We want instant works by God. We want instant tangible physical power from God. We definitely don't want to wait on God to do things in His time. We definitely don't want to perspire to get what we want. We live and want excess. We live and want to be pampered. We want a parent to look out for our every need. It is time to grow up. Being grown up means we hold off on what we want. Being grown up means we don't get what we want and we then go on and do the job anyway. Being grown up means we sacrifice. Teaching a child to sacrifice is one of the greatest lessons any parent can teach because there is no progress in a person's life without sacrifice. No person, society, church, organization, or social entity can endure without sacrifice.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

The Power Of Facing Reality

When we acknowledge the physical nature of our life then we are not fooling ourselves into thinking we have no problems. When we acknowledge the physical nature of our life then we are also not letting our physical problems overwhelm us. Acknowledgment of your circumstances is not denial. When you acknowledge your circumstances you then cause yourself to recognize the circumstances exist. When you acknowledge an obstacle you face then you take from the obstacle the power of the obstacle to controlling your life. Great obstacles in our life can generate fear within us. The fear generated by obstacles keeps us from believing, hoping, trusting, and seeing a path into our future. Too often, the fear generated by an obstacle keeps us imprisoned in denial because we do not want to face the fear or face the obstacle. However, the fear generated by an obstacle loses its power if you acknowledge the obstacle. When you acknowledge the existence of an obstacle, great power comes to you because you have faced reality. When you face reality and there is an obstacle, you can also find in reality a being much larger and much more powerful than any obstacle. The being much larger than any obstacle, in reality, is the being of love and power we call God.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

In Times Of Uncertainty

There are going to be times in your life when you are uncertain. There are many times in life when we are not sure which way to turn. One way we know to turn is in the direction of Jesus because He will never forsake us or leave us. In times of our uncertainty, we need to listen to His voice inside of us, especially if we are not sure what to do. Keeping us unsure is a way Satan has of getting to us. However, the prophet Isaiah talks about the voice of God and how God can lead us. Isaiah says… Isaiah 30:21 whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." You are to listen to this voice, the actual voice of God inside of you when you are uncertain. Too often the world is so full of noise we cannot hear God's voice even when He might be yelling at us. When we are listening to His voice we can always find a way to do His will. He can find a way to make His will become manifest in any circumstance.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

Going Back To The Way Things Were

You may want to go back. You may want to go back to an earlier time when things were better, or easier, or grander than the way things are now. However, you are changed every day. You get better or worse every day. You are not who you were before. You are different. If you could go back, if you could go back and stand where you stood before, things would not be like they were then because you have changed. Our walk through life is determined not by how much we look back, but how much we look forward. Indeed, we can learn from the past by looking back, but we can learn from looking back only if we look back to learn. Yearning to return to where we were can use up too much of our soul. Yearning to go back to another time takes too much of the time God gives us to glorify Him. We tend to forget the darkness of the past. We tend to remember only the best and forget the worst. You do not want to really go back because if you went back, you would have to live through the dark times a second time which God does not want you to have to do.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

Gave All He Had

I once heard the story of a rice farmer who saved an entire village from destruction. From his hilltop farm, he felt the quake and saw the distant ocean swiftly withdraw from the old shoreline, like some prodigious animal crouching back for a leap. He knew that the leap would be a tidal wave. In the valley below, he saw his neighbors working low fields that would soon be flooded. They must run quickly to his hilltop or they would all die. His rice barns were dry as tinder. So with a torch, he set fire to his barns and soon the fire goon started ringing. His neighbors saw the smoke and rushed to help him. Then from their safe perch, they saw the tidal wave wash over the fields they had just left. In a flash, they knew not only who had saved them but what their salvation had cost their benefactor. They later erected a monument to his memory bearing the motto, "He gave us all he had, and gave gladly." I think the same words could be said of our heavenly Father and the gift of his only begotten Son!

When God Is Silent

Angel’s And The Bible

Just What Are Angels?

A Specific Look At Angels You’ve Heard About

What About Guardian Angels?

A Fallen Angel

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

Living A Victorious Life

A person leads a victorious life not when there are no obstacles, burdens, or circumstances. A person leads a victorious life when obstacles abound and the obstacles are all turned to dust by how the victorious person lives. We all have an inside life and an outside life. There are times and circumstances in our outside life we cannot change. There are permanent unchanging inanimate objects and situations outside of us. Our defeat as persons comes about when we let inanimate objects or life obstacles get us down and we stay down. We may have dreams or hopes not filled or not realized in the outside world, but we can live a victorious life when we dictate the terms of our inner life.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

Let Us

Let us forget the things that vexed and tried us, the worrying things that caused our souls to fret, the hopes that, cherished long, were still denied us, Let us forget.

Let us forget the little slights that pained us, the greater wrongs that rankle sometimes yet; the pride with which some lofty one disdained us, Let us forget.

But blessings manifold, past all deserving, Kind words and helpful deeds, a countless throng; the fault overcome, the rectitude unswerving Let us remember long.

The sacrifice of love, the generous giving, when friends were few, that handclasp warm and strong, the fragrance of each life of holy living, Let us remember long.

Whatever things were good and true and gracious whatever of the right has triumphed over wrong, what love of God or man has rendered precious, Let us remember long.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

Winning Is Not Assured

We all want victory. We all want a guarantee what we do will pay off in the future. We all want to know, at the very least, things will be all right in the future. The reality of our life shows us winning is not assured. In our life on earth, we can and do taste defeat. The causes of our defeats are many just as the causes of our victories are many. Although winning is not assured in every circumstance, we can still win out over whatever adversity or circumstances we face in life. You may lose everything and everyone. However, even in this instance, you can win out by not giving in and not giving up. Our greed, our lust, and our selfishness corrupt our ideas of what it means to win. If we think of winning as winning a prize without much of an effort on our part, we end up being losers because we have not put forth much effort. Winning in life, even if we have lost everything and everyone, requires effort on our part. Just because you may be in grief over a loss in any area of life, being in grief does not mean your grief will guarantee you a win in the future. You may feel bad about losing. However, feeling bad about losing does not mean you will win in the future or deserve to win in the future. To win out over circumstances requires we continually work toward our goals and objectives. If our goals and objectives have been taken from us, we must find new goals and objectives. True victory in life is not about conquering another person. If we think of victory as conquering another person, we end up losing in the end because we are all supposed to empower others and make them better. Even in special circumstances like stopping criminal behavior, we are trying to make the life better for a potential victim as well as the criminal. If we think of winning as being way ahead of everyone else or outscoring them, we eventually end up losing, because of the factors of our achieving victory change or we change. No one can win in this life forever if we measure our wins and losses like we are scoring points in a game. The greatest contributor to a winning life, or at least to winning streaks in life, is how we handle the winning and how we handle the losing. If winning and losing make us better, we win even if we lose. If winning and losing make us bitter or destructive, we lose whether we have won or lost. One of the greatest challenges of our life is not to defeat others. One of the greatest challenges in our life is to defeat the darkness or inner opponent within us. When we defeat the inner opponent within ourselves, we are assured of winning out over every circumstance.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️And Conversation

Look For Small Positives

Looking for small positives is not a matter of thinking positively in negative circumstances. Looking for small positives is an attitude helping us seek out the best opportunities and the best resources in every setting. If all we ever see is the negatives, we end up reacting only to the negatives. If we look for small positives, we have an opportunity to use the small positives to our advantage and use the small positives as a resource upon which we can build. Our life is filled with small positives but when we are in a negative frame of mind, we too often do not look for the small positives, let alone see them. You cannot build upon a negative circumstance as easily as you can a positive circumstance. Most often, a negative circumstance requires time and resources to turn the negative into a positive. Negative circumstances like mistakes require fixing if fixing is possible. Positive circumstances not only require no fixing, but positive circumstances can be used to overcome negative matters, issues, and events. In your life, you can do great things with your positive attributes, your positive talents, your positive traits, and your positive abilities. Your positives are your assets. Your negatives are your liabilities.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

Memo From God

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in my time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it. If you find yourself stuck in traffic; don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege. Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years. Should you despair over a relationship gone badly; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return. Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the man in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed his children. Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk. Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, and asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity. Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!!

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

What You Need, What You Want

Many people want the touch of the Holy Spirit. The question you must ask yourself is not if you can get, have, or hold the touch of the Holy Spirit, but who do you want to experience His touch? Do you want the in-filling love of God for you, or do you want His love for others? The people gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost wanted the touch and power of God to carry His power to others. The people in Jerusalem, who had the Holy Spirit fall upon them, could have cared less about themselves. So badly did those people in Jerusalem want the Holy Spirit for others and not for themselves, they were prepared to do anything, suffer anything, even die, to carry the message of Christ to the world. You can have the same in-filling of the Holy Spirit they had if you are ready and if you are prepared like they were ready and like they were prepared to receive Him. The apostles received power because they saw the needs of their world. The apostles received the power because they saw the burdens of the world, the tasks of the world, the dangers of the world, the opportunities of the world, and they saw the hardships of the world. So ready were the apostles before Pentecost they were on their way to be witnesses without the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Do you want the in-filling of the Holy Spirit to be a witness to others like they wanted to be a witness to others? Do you want the power to fill up the emptiness in your life? Most often, God gives the power to those who need His power for others. God gives the power to those who are dying to do His work. God gives the power to those who are willing to die to do His work. In your life, when what you have to do is not doable...when the mountain is too high...when the water is too deep...when you know and everyone else knows you can't do it...these times are when the Holy Spirit fills you and you do the impossible. If...the impossible is what God wants to be done through you.

A Ray🔥Of Hope By Way Of Coffee ☕️ And Conversation

Receiving His Treasure

If we do not receive and treasure the love of God, there is in each of us an innate recognition telling us life is hopeless. Many people have a sense of hopelessness about themselves and about their life. Most of these people confront their hopelessness in life by running away from the hopelessness. People run away from their hopelessness by trying to drink it away, drug it away, play it away, watch TV it away, or try to escape their hopelessness by any means possible. Tragically, there is no escape. Wonderfully, there is a fix to this problem. For in Christ Jesus, we find the hope of the world, for all people, all the time, for all the generations, for all the multitudes or the past and all the multitudes of the future. In Christ, we find hope for life beyond death and hope in this life in the here and now. In Christ Jesus, there is hope until the very end, and at the very end, we find there is no end but an eternal new beginning.

5/19/2019 Evening Service---Finding God For Yourself

Sermon For The Evening Service May 19, 2019

What About Guardian Angels?

Sermon For May 19, 2019

A Specific Look At Angels You’ve Heard About

Just What Are Angels

Angels And The Bible

Christ's Suffering And Your Sacrifice

Do you suppose Jesus wanted to suffer and die upon the cross? Do you suppose Jesus wanted to suffer, be tempted, and nearly die in the desert after forty days? Do you suppose the early church martyrs and many of the martyrs since that time wanted to pay the price of suffering and death? How much of a price are you willing to pay for Christ? We live in an age of luxury. We live in an age encouraging, perhaps even demanding, we NOT sacrifice. Are you willing to go against your protective human instincts and give your life for Christ? We sit in an age where, in most places, we are comfortable in our Christian life. We can sit in heated or air-conditioned sanctuaries. We can sit on padded pews. Most of us need not fear for our life or fear for our safety in any respect when we worship Christ. What will you do when being a Christian is a threat to your life?

GOD HAS A PLAN

Jeremiah 29:11---"For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

There was only one person alive on the small island. He prayed every day asking God to send someone to rescue him. Every day he looked around for God's help but he couldn't find it. Tired of waiting, he made a shelter to protect himself and protect his few possessions. But then one day, after looking for food, he came back to find his little shelter on fire. The worse thing was that everything he owned was burned. He was confused and mad at God. He asked God, "why did you do this to me?" and he fell asleep over the sand. Early the next morning, he heard the sound of a boat that came close to the island. They were rescuers. He asked them how they knew he was there. The rescuers said to him that they saw the smoke signals he made. It's easy to get mad at things when they go wrong, but we shouldn't lose our heart, because God is working in our lives. Remember, the next time your small house is on fire, it might simply be a smoke signal that comes from God. For every negative thing that happens to us, we should tell ourselves, "God has a positive answer to this".

The Monster of the Old Nature

Romans 6:13--- Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

There is a little couplet that I like so much, but it contains a good word—forgotten by many today—the word “mien” (pronounced “mean”). It means “countenance” or appearance. Listen to the couplet: Vice is a monster of such horrible mien, that to be hated it needs but to be seen. But too oft, grown familiar with its face, first, we endure, then we embrace. Familiarity with the face of the monster of vice is the very essence of just about every talk show on television I have seen or know anything about (except the news or Christian-oriented ones). Christians, however, do not seek such familiarity. Instead, we should turn away from our old vices, our old habits, and our old sinful nature. The diminishing of our old nature is called mortification. The growing of our new nature is called vivification. Put the two together (mortification and vivification) and you get sanctification—one of the great glorious doctrines of the Christian faith. Sanctification is a process that goes on and on throughout this life. It is never ever perfected in this life. It is not until we cross that river that there, in a final act of glorification, the final vestiges of sin are removed and we are declared to be perfect. A question to ponder: Is there any vice that you could possibly have grown too familiar with?

By Dr. D. James Kennedy

Facing Change

It appears as we grow older we get so set in our ways of doing things that we don't accept change very well. Most of the time we don't accept change because we are so focused on ourselves. "It's all about me, me, me! When the truth of the matter is we are so focused on what we want that we can't see the VISION for the future generations to hear from God.

We must face the facts and realities of life. Times change. Things change. People change. Circumstances change. Few things last forever here on earth. All human beings come to an end. When our life ends, our pain, our hurt, our disappointment, and our sorrow also ends. However, no matter how much things change in our world, when times in our life are at their worst, we can always take charge of our life enough to go to God a-midst the changes and the chaos the changes bring. In God we find rest from the turmoil and strife caused by the changes of life. God is a shelter from the storms of life if we will only go to Him and trust in Him. In truth, trusting in God may not change your circumstances on the outside of your life. However, trusting and having a hope in God changes everything on the inside of your life. Many of the things on the outside we cannot change, but the inside is God's territory or kingdom. He will rule on the inside of your life if you give Him a chance and if you learn to keep out of His way. We don't want to be the one to hinder the moving of God's work, "CATCH THE VISION" so people won't perish.

Facing Change

It appears as we grow older we get so set in our ways of doing things that we don't accept change very well. Most of the time we don't accept change because we are so focused on ourselves. "It's all about me, me, me! When the truth of the matter is we are so focused on what we want that we can't see the VISION for the future generations to hear from God.

We must face the facts and realities of life. Times change. Things change. People change. Circumstances change. Few things last forever here on earth. All human beings come to an end. When our life ends, our pain, our hurt, our disappointment, and our sorrow also ends. However, no matter how much things change in our world, when times in our life are at their worst, we can always take charge of our life enough to go to God a-midst the changes and the chaos the changes bring. In God we find rest from the turmoil and strife caused by the changes of life. God is a shelter from the storms of life if we will only go to Him and trust in Him. In truth, trusting in God may not change your circumstances on the outside of your life. However, trusting and having a hope in God changes everything on the inside of your life. Many of the things on the outside we cannot change, but the inside is God's territory or kingdom. He will rule on the inside of your life if you give Him a chance and if you learn to keep out of His way. We don't want to be the one to hinder the moving of God's work, "CATCH THE VISION" so people won't perish.

THAT'S MY KING!

The immortalized words of Dr. S.M. Lockridge!

The Bible says my King is a seven-way King:

He's the King of the Jews - that's a racial King. He's the King of Israel - that's a national King. He's the King of Righteousness. He's the King of the Ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of Glory. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King. Well, I wonder do you know Him. David said, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork." My King is a sovereign King - no means of measure can define His limitless love. No farseeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. Do you know Him? He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's Savior. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands in the solitude of himself. He's august and He's unique. He's unparalleled, He's unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He is the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He is the core and the necessity for spiritual religion. He's the miracle of the age, He's... yes He is. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior. I wonder if you know him today. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captive. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent. And He beautifies the meek. I wonder if you know Him. Well, my King---He is the key, He's the key to knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. Do you know Him?  Well, His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous and His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you. But He's indescribable - yes He is! He's God. He's, indescribable, yes, He's indescribable. He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. Well, you can't get Him out of your mind, you get Him off of your hand, you can't outlive Him, and you can't live without Him. Well, the Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him.  THAT'S MY KING! And Thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? And ever and ever. And when you get through all the forevers, then Amen!

No Wonder Jesus Loves the Little Children

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard. My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on. When I look at a homeless person and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money, and I look away. My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back. When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm, so I sit self-consciously and listen. My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own. When I feel the wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk. My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it until they fall to the ground laughing. When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that. My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy." When I see a mud puddle, I step around it. I see muddy shoes and clothes and dirty carpets. My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross and worms to play with. Sometimes I wonder if we are given kids to teach . . . or to learn from. No wonder Jesus loves the little children!

Author Unknown

Of What Are You Made?

Knowledge is power, especially if the knowledge is about yourself. To achieving success, knowing all about who you are is critical, about what you do, about how you act, and about why you act the way you do. When you know all about yourself, you can then begin to exercise control over who you are. When it comes to knowing yourself, ignorance is not bliss…ignorance is a disaster. So who or what are you? Of what are you made? You are a body with physical needs and drives, but you are more. You are more than just a physical body with needs and drives because you are also emotions, subconscious motives, and a being with an ego. You are also your mind. You are a mental being with rational thoughts and incredible potential. You are also a being with a spirit. You are a spiritual being who can if you want, reach out for the ultimate you can be and reach out to the ultimate of all beings we call God.

The Endless Circle Of God's Eternal Life

You know there will come a time when your life on this earth shall be no more. However, you also know something more. You also know your life will go on into timeless eternity. Your life will go on forever, and ever on the wings of God's love. Christ shall carry you to His sweet Promised Land above the clouds. Because of God's unfailing love for you…Because of Christ's terrible sacrifice for you…Because Christ paid such an uncountable price for your sin…Because you have humbly accepted Christ as your Savior…You know you will never die.You know you will live forever.

The Endless Circle Of God's Eternal Life

You know there will come a time when your life on this earth shall be no more. However, you also know something more. You also know your life will go on into timeless eternity. Your life will go on forever, and ever on the wings of God's love. Christ shall carry you to His sweet Promised Land above the clouds. Because of God's unfailing love for you…Because of Christ's terrible sacrifice for you…Because Christ paid such an uncountable price for your sin…Because you have humbly accepted Christ as your Savior…You know you will never die.You know you will live forever.

Trusting God’s Power In Your Pain

Colossians 1:16---For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

A young boy was traveling on an airplane to visit his grandparents one day, and he happened to be sitting beside a seminary professor. The boy was reading his children’s Bible, so the professor thought he’d have some fun. “Young man,” said the professor, “if you can tell me something God can do, I’ll give you a shiny apple.” The boy thought for a moment before replying, “Mister, if you can tell me something God can’t do, I’ll give you a whole barrel of apples!” The boy was right. It would be impossible to say that God can’t do something. That’s because He’s the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe. He flung planets into orbit around stars and holds every single atom in its place. Yet, He’s personal enough to love you deeply. Whatever challenges you encounter in life, you can face them knowing you have an all-powerful God on your side. He’s big enough to be Lord of creation and loving enough to come to earth and die for your sins. Trust that our all-powerful God is for you and will help you overcome any challenge you face!

Giving Hope Is Showing The Power Of God

You may be the person who points up into the twinkling starlit sky and helps another person try to see the infinite found only in God. Giving hope is showing honesty when honesty hurts you the giver. You may be the person, who through an act of painful honesty shows another person the power and dynamic force of being honest within themselves, with others, and with God. Giving hope is showing the power of self-control and self-denial. You may be the person who lets others know of your temptations and trials but through the help of Christ, you are able to maintain your self-control and are able to deny yourself. Giving hope is showing growth is possible in spite of the momentum of stagnation. You may be the person who shows another person starting over at any age brings glory to God. Giving hope is showing how always doing the right thing is beneficial. You may be the person who shows a person or a family how powerful righteousness can be and how destructive unrighteousness can be. Giving hope is showing humility can come from placing our burdens, cares, and worries in the hands of the Savior.

The Power To Change

We have the power to change ourselves. Possessing the power to change does not always mean we should change. Possessing the power to change does not always mean we do change. We must not overestimate the power God has given us to change. The rocks, mountains, and great prairies of the earth change but they do not change because of their own will or volition. Only you and other human beings have the power to change who you are and how you are. God gave us the great gift of will power so we can grow and advance in our heart, in our thinking, and in our life. Our power to change or repent gives us the ability to turn away from a life plagued with sin. Our power to change enables us to change from a life of sin to a new holy life. Our hope in life hinges upon our ability to turn away from the darkness within us. When we turn or change, we are to turn toward the Light of our Savior Jesus Christ...our Savior who died for each of us.

A Lesson About Life

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2 inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was and laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take care of your body. Take your partner out dancing. Talk to your teenager. Show the love you feel for the people you care about. Take care of the rocks first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand. Author Unknown

True Worship

True worship ought to be characterized by a family of believers bonded together in love. True worship should be a time when everything is done in a spirit of love. In the church, we greet each other, shake hands, sit together, sing together, and pray together. Things are not necessarily binding in love because all these things can be nothing more than just a show, as in show business. In true worship, there should never be a need to put on a show or give pretenses. True worship should be a time of reaching down deep into the soul. True worship should never be a time of escape or entertainment. Rather, true worship should be a time of running toward the reality of the love of God. When people come together in true worship, they should come together under the aura of the Holy Spirit. Under the Holy Spirit, those who truly worship together should love each other with no regard for anything except we all need Jesus every hour. When we are honest with each other and with God, we can then all reach out to each other during true worship in His love and grace. When we accept each other just as we are, we begin to accept each other just as Christ accepts us...just as we are...fallen but restored, sinners but forgiven, without hope but redeemed.

Grief, What Do I Do Now?

Grief rips away at the heart and can turn a life teeming with meaning into an empty wasteland. When tears well up in our eyes and grief fill our soul, what are we to do? In a time of grief, our first instinct should always be to run to God. It is in God's arms that we find the comfort and warmth of love. In God's arms, we can find new meaning and new purpose when the dark days of grief attack us. However, when we lead lives apart from God in the present or when we think we do not need God in the present, then when grief comes, God is hard to find. When we share all that we are and share all that we have with God when the times are good, He most surely guides and comforts us when times of grief overwhelm us. When you pour out your heart and love for God today, no matter what grief might fall into your life tomorrow, all the love you gave Him comes back one thousand fold when you need Him the most.

Good Measure, Pressed Down, Shaken and Running Over!

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. "I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life." "No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."

And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill. Someone once said what goes around comes around. Jesus said it another way: Luke 6:38 --- "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Author Unknown

The Essence Of Relationships

The essence of a relationship is in connecting to another person and having another person connect to you. We make connections when we hear, understand, accept, and care for another person. There is an art to hearing, understanding, accepting, and caring for the whole person. This art can be learned and practiced. To fully understand the utter importance of these ideas about connecting to another person, let's think about these ideas in reverse. What would life be like for you if you talked, but no one heard you? What would life be like for you if you talked, but no one understood you? What would life be like for you if no one accepted you? What would life be like for you if no one cared about you? Think about these questions long and hard. Through these questions and your quite obvious answers, you can see how hearing, understanding, accepting, and caring for others are the essence of all our relationships.

Time In Hell

The Trooper stood and faced God. Which must always come to pass. He hoped his uniform was clean, He’d gotten dressed kind of fast. "Step forward now, Trooper. How shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek? To my church have you been true?" The Trooper squared his shoulders and said, "No Lord I guess I ain’t, cause those of us who wade in blood, can’t always be a saint. I’ve had to work most Sundays, and at times my talk was tough. And at times I’ve been violent, cause the streets are awful rough. But I never took a penny that wasn’t mine to keep… although I worked a lot of overtime when the bills got far too steep. And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear. And sometimes, God forgive me, I wept unmanly tears. I know I don’t deserve a place among the people here. They never wanted me around, except to calm their fears. If you have a place for me, Lord, It needn’t be so grand. I never expected or had too much, But if you don’t I understand." There was silence all around the throne, where saints had often trod. As the Trooper waited quietly for the judgment of his God. "Step forward now, Trooper. You’ve borne your burdens well. Walk peacefully on heavens streets. You’ve done your time in hell."

Author Unknown

Poor Man Works for 20 Years. When He Asks Boss for Salary, He’s Given 2 Choices Instead

Words of Wisdom aims to highlight important morals, which we feel our readers will benefit from reading. We hope you enjoy this fable. One of the hardest tests we all have to face in our lives is to be patient—just focus on doing what we should and then just hang on, waiting patiently. Often, we need to make sacrifices as a test of our faith and trust in our “inherently good knowing side” and to the compassionate divines above. Our choices can turn out to be critical—but if we manage to stick to that one spark of goodness within us, the outcome is sure to be a positive one. A young, hardworking farmer who lived on a faraway mountain got married, and after realizing he could not make enough to provide for his wife and any future family, he made the decision to leave and find better employment. He told his wife, “I need to go and find a well-paid job to be able to give you the kind of life you deserve. I may have to travel far and be gone for a while. But I make this promise to you: ‘I will forever remain faithful, and I hope you can promise me the same.’” His wife promised to see no other, and they tearfully bid each other farewell. After many days of walking, he came upon a farmer desperately in need of help and was hired on the spot. But the young man wanted an agreement before he started work. “Let me work for you as long as I want, but when I want to go home please release me of my duties. Please keep my wages until I am ready to leave.” So he set to work, putting in long, hard days with hardly any rest and no holidays. After 20 years, he went to his boss and said, “It is time for me to leave. Please give me the money I have earned.” The boss agreed, “You have worked diligently for the past 20 years and accrued quite a sum. However, before I pay you I would like to offer you an alternative. I will not give you the money but instead, offer you three pieces of advice. Remember, if you take the three pieces of advice, you can’t have the money as well. I ask you to go and think about it before you give me your answer.” For two days, the man pondered on this, then went to his boss and said, “I have thought long and hard about it, and have decided to not take the money, but instead please give me the three pieces of advice.” The boss stressed that if he gave him the advice, he could not take the money as well. “Please, give the three pieces of advice,” said the man. So the boss said, “Firstly, don’t take any shortcuts in life, it can be very costly and may even end your life. Second, don’t be overly curious, as curiosity toward evil will be deadly. And the third piece of advice—never make a decision when you are angry or suffering, as regret could be endless.” The man then gave him three loaves of bread and said, “The first two loaves are for you to eat on your journey home, and the third is for you to share with your wife when you get there.” So he set off, and on the first day, he met a traveler who inquired, “Where are you heading?” The man replied, “I need to walk along here for about 20 days.” “Oh no, you must take this shortcut, it will be far quicker, and only take you five days,” said the traveler. The man began to take the shorter route, but suddenly remembered his boss’s advice, so turned around and continued on the long road. He later learned he had been going into an ambush. After several days of walking along the road, he came to a small village, where he asked if he could stay in a shack for the night. In the middle of the night, he was woken by a blood-curdling scream. He jumped to his feet, curious to see what was happening, but as he went to open the door, he remembered his boss’s second piece of advice, so went back to bed. The following morning, the owner inquired if he had heard the screaming. When he said indeed he had, the owner asked, “Weren’t you curious as to what was happening?” “No, not in the slightest,” replied the man. “You are the only stranger to survive a night here, my neighbor is a madman, he screams out and when someone comes running he kills them and buries their body in the backyard,” said the man. The man continued on his journey home, and after many weary days and nights, he arrived at his farm. As night had fallen, he was able to make out his wife’s silhouette in the moonlight, but as he came closer he saw she was not alone—she was caressing another man. Filled with anger and hatred at her betrayal, he wanted to confront them and kill them both. Remembering the third piece of advice, he restrained himself, vowing to make a decision at dawn. When the sun rose, he had calmed down and thought, “I will ask my boss for my job back and will not kill my wife and her lover, but before I leave I must tell her I remained faithful all this time.” He knocked at the door, and when she opened it, she rushed into his arms, but he harshly pushed her aside and tearfully said, “I have remained faithful to you all these years, but you have betrayed me!” His wife was shocked at his accusation and denied she had done such a thing. “Who is that man I saw you with last night?” her husband demanded. “He is our son,” she replied. “I discovered I was pregnant after you left, and our boy turned 20 today.” With that, they joyfully hugged, and he told them many stories of his adventures on the road. His wife prepared coffee, and with the last loaf of bread, he sat down to share it with them. When he broke it apart, he found his boss had given him all the money earned over the past 20 years, plus much more. This boss is like our God; he wants us to have so much. Sometimes, we have to suffer and trust in Him to receive our reward.

BY CHRIS FORD

The Homeless Man

It was a cold winter’s day that Sunday. The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked to the church. As I got closer, I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down as if he was asleep. He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds, and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet, with holes all over them. His toes stuck out. I assumed this man was homeless and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church. We all gathered for fellowship for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man lying outside. People snickered and gossiped, but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me. A few moments later, the church service began. We all waited for the preacher to take his place and to give us the Word when the doors to the church opened. In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down. People gasped and whispered and made faces. He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit. He took off his hat and coat. My heart sank. There stood our preacher, he was the “homeless man.”

No one said a word. The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the stand. “Folks, I don’t think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today.”

Author Unknown