The Burglar

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables when a voice in the dark said,

'Jesus knows you're here.'

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze.

When he heard nothing more , after a bit, he shook his head and continued.

Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard

'Jesus is watching you.'

Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice.

Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.

'Did you say that?' he hissed at the parrot.

'Yep', the parrot confessed, then squawked, 'I'm just trying to warn you that he is watching you.'

The burglar relaxed. 'Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?'

'Moses,' replied the bird.

'Moses?' the burglar laughed. 'What kind of people would name a bird Moses?'

'The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.'

Looking at things different:

Two people can look at the same thing, at the same time, and see things differently.

An old table in a dumpster looks like trash to one, a treasure to another.

One set of fans at a championship game will see triumph, the others tragedy.

On the Mount of Olives that first Palm Sunday-

- two saw the same scene differently.

The disciples saw the triumph of the moment, while Jesus saw the tragedy.

"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it." Luke 19:41.

Jesus saw tragedy that day, not triumph.

The tragedy had three parts.

First, the people wanted peace but did not know what would bring peace to them.

True peace is found only in Jesus.

Second, they did not realize the destruction they faced.

A few years later Rome captured Jerusalem, killing more than 600,000 people and destroying the temple.

Jesus also knew that all face judgment unless they receive the forgiveness He can give.

Third, He wept because they did not "recognize the time of God's coming." v.44.

God became a man and lived among us--Immanuel!

Yet many did not recognize that and instead rejected Him.

A few days after Palm Sunday the cries of "Hosanna!" became "Crucify him!"

Jesus wept because the people did not know peace, realize they faced destruction or recognize that He was God.

Do you have peace?

It is found in Jesus.

He saves us from sin's power and penalty.

Recognize who Jesus is and receive Him as your Saviour today.

Hosanna!

Have you ever tried to forgive someone and found you simply couldn't do it?

You've cried about it and

- prayed about it and

- asked God to help you.

But those old feelings of resentment just failed to go away.

Put an end to those kinds of failures in the future-

- by basing your forgiveness on faith rather than feelings.

True forgiveness doesn't have anything at all to do with how you feel.

It's an act of the will. It is based on obedience to God and on faith in Him.

That means once you've forgiven a person-

- you need to consider him permanently forgiven! When old feelings rise up within you and

Satan tries to convince you that you haven't really forgiven, resist him.

Say, "No, I've already forgiven that person by faith. I refuse to dwell on those old feelings."

Then, according to 1 John 1:9-

Believe that you receive forgiveness and cleansing from the sin of unforgiveness and from all unrighteousness associated with it including any remembrance of having been wronged!

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I may forgive, but I'll never forget!"

That's a second-rate kind of forgiveness-

- that you, as a believer, are never supposed to settle for.

You're to forgive supernaturally "even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4:32.

You're to forgive as God forgives.

To release that person from guilt permanently and unconditionally and to operate as if nothing bad ever happened between you.

You're to purposely forget as well as forgive.

As you do that-

- something supernatural will happen within you.

The pain once caused by that incident will disappear.

The power of God will wash away the effects of it.

And you'll be able to leave it behind you once and for all.

Don't become an emotional bookkeeper-

- keeping careful accounts of the wrongs you have suffered.

Learn to forgive and forget.

It will open a whole new world of blessing for you.

"Love...is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it pays no

attention to a suffered wrong." 1 Corinthians 13:5.

"Boast not yourself of tomorrow; for you know not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1.

I read some research by William Morriston,

- a psychologist, who reported that 94% of the 3,000 persons he surveyed were enduring today in order to get to tomorrow.

Do you know anyone like that?

Perhaps you are one of those.

Tomorrow, you're going on vacation.

Tomorrow, you're going to get the house cleaned.

Tomorrow, you're going to start your diet.

Tomorrow, you're going to balance your checkbook.

Tomorrow... tomorrow... tomorrow...

The only problem is tomorrow never arrives!

When it gets here, it is today.

And today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

It is always today.

What are you worrying about?

It's time to ask His forgiveness and give Him your concern.

He is more than able to handle it.

Worry is pulling tomorrow's clouds over today's sunshine.

Worry about nothing!

Pray about every thing!!

Worried about what 2008 will bring?

God-

- knows your future!

- holds your future!!

- and is your future!!!

Enter the New Year with Him!

Goodness and mercy shall follow you!!

Beloved May these words help you by the help of the Holyspirit.

1. Trust God with all your heart,lean not on your own understanding.

2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end-God's way leads to an endless hope.

3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma-but never let him be the period.

6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.

8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.

9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

10. We don't change God's message-His message changes us.

11. The church is prayer-conditioned.

12. When God ordains, He sustains.

13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

14. Plan ahead-It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

15. ! Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.

16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

17. Exercise daily-walk with the Lord.

18. Never give the devil a ride-he will always want to drive.

19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

21. He who angers you controls you.

22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.

24. Be ye fishers of men-you catch them & He'll clean them.

25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

26. Read the Bible-It will scare the hell out of you.

Beloved this is my prayer for you,

That God will give you peace and good health.

A smile on your faces

A song in your hearts

Words of faith in your mouths

A dance in your steps

I pray that as you begin your new day.

In the morning that your joy will come.

A merry heart that does good like a medicine.

I pray that God will infect you with joy.

Joy that bubbles up and overflows with laughter.

When Abraham and Sarah Laughed they received strength

To conceive seed and brought forth a son and named him

Isaac (laughter).

I pray that God will birth laughter in and through

you.

In that laugh I pray that healing will flow.

I pray that many will be drawn to you as with Jesus

By the manner of joy that is upon you.

I pray this prayer hit your heart with authority.

and God's power may work miracles in your life.

Amen

Farmer

Did you hear about the farmer who grew discontent with his farm so he decided to sell it?

A few days later his real estate agent phoned wanting approval for an advertisement she intended to place in the local newspaper.

She read it to the farmer.

It described a lovely farm in an ideal location - quiet and peaceful, contoured with rolling hills, nourished by a fresh lake and blessed with well-bred livestock.

The farmer said, "Read that to me again."

After hearing it a second time he said, "I've changed my mind. I'm not selling. I've been looking for a place like that all my life."

Paul would have applauded that farmer.

He learned the same lesson:

"I have learned in whatever state I am to be content."

Before you change your job title, examine your perspective toward life.

Success is not defined by position or pay scale.

"...better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure turmoil." Pro.15:16.

Wise up!

It's better to be married to a happy person with a thin wallet than to a miserable person with a thick one.

Pursue the virtue of contentment.

"Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Tim. 6:6.

When choosing or changing job/ministry, be careful.

Consult God!

Never consult your greed!

During the Great Depression, a good man lost his job,

exhausted his savings and forfeited his home. His

grief was multiplied by the sudden death of his

precious wife. The only thing he had left was his

faith-and it was weakening.

One day he was combing the neighborhood looking for

work. He stopped to watch some men who were doing the

stonework on a church building. One of these men was

skillfully chiseling a triangular piece of rock. Not

seeing a spot where it would fit, he asked, "Where are

you going to put that?" The man pointed toward the top

of the building and said, "See that little opening up

near the spire? That is where it goes. I am shaping it

down here so it will fit in up there."

Some of you are going through terrible troublesome

times. You may be experiencing some heartbreaking

sorrow. Or perhaps you are enduring some painful

physical illness. Or it may be something else-maybe

even too excruciating to talk to anyone about. The

blows of the hammer and chisel hurt.

But hold on to your faith. These difficulties will not

get you down. They are only temporary. Glory is

coming. It is the harsh blows to the outward man that

often bring the greatest strength to the inner man.

Keep praying. Keep believing. The Master has to do

some shaping of us down here so we will fit in up

there.

"How can a God of love, who has everything in His

control, let such a thing happen to me?" So asked a

young woman who had received severe injuries through a

fall from a horse. "Crippled for life," she overheard

the doctor say.

The pastor was silent for a moment. "Did you suffer

much pain when they put you in the cast?"

"The pain was terrible," she replied.

"Where was your father then?"

"He stood right by me," she replied.

"Did your father allow the doctor to hurt you that

way?"

"Yes, but that was necessary."

"Did your father allow the doctor to hurt you even

though he loved you, or because he loved you?"

"You mean to suggest that because God loves me, He

also allowed me to be hurt?"

The pastor answered with a nod. "'This thing is from

Me.'Let these five words comfort you. They will

furnish a silver lining to the cloud. Yours is not a

case of 'hard luck.'This trial was planned by God."

If you are His child, He is preparing you for better

service. Shakespeare said: "In sickness, let me not so

much say, 'Am I getting better of my pain; but am I

getting better for it.'"

Let us not say, "When will I be getting out of this?"

but, "What will I be getting out of this?" He will

draw you closer to Him through this trial.

Cheer up the Lord is on on your side to help you

through.

Isa 43:1-13,18-21

The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves." Psalm 93:3.

What do you do when you find yourself threatened by the floods of wickedness?

What did the psalmist do?

He looked at God's throne!

"The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty. The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. " v. 1.

No waves or floods can disturb the throne of God.

But often we don't look high enough.

We see the floods, but we don't see God.

We see the waves getting higher and higher, and we don't lift up our eyes by faith and see the eternal, established, secure, strong throne of God.

He heard God's testimonies! !

He didn't listen to the sound of the waves.

Today, you might hear a lot of threatening sounds.

Don't pay any attention to them.

"Your testimonies are very sure." v. 5.

The psalmist heard God's testimonies and said, "I can trust the Word of God."

He remembered God's trust-worthiness! !!

Peter when he walked on the water.Matt. 14:28-31.

He took his eyes off the Lord and forgot His promise.

Jesus said to him, "Come!"

That's all Peter needed.

He should have said to himself, "If Jesus says, 'Come,' I can come!"

Because-

His commandments are always His empowerments!

God's throne is established!

And His testimony is sure!!

When you see the flood approaching-

Lift your eyes higher to see the throne of God.

Open your ears to hear His Word.

Fearing any flood?

Put your faith to work and trust His promises of power and protection!

The Boy in the Fire

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee flames by jumping to the ground from the roof.
 
His father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son,
"Jump! I'll catch you."
But the boy was afraid -- he couldn't see his father -- all he could see was flame, smoke, and blackness.
 
He was afraid.
Still, his father kept yelling:
"Jump son! I will catch you!"
 
But the boy refused, crying, "Daddy, I can't see you!"
 
His father replied, "It's ok son -- I can see you -- and that's all that matters!"
 
Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of the fiery trials of life!
And all we can see is the smoke and the flames.
But faith is knowing who will catch us when take that leap.
 
God delights in responding to our faith.
He wants us to jump into His arms --- especially when we can't see Him.
 
George Mueller said:
"Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.
There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.
Faith begins where man's power ends." 

The Secret of the Lord

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him". Ps. 25:14.
 
There are secrets of Providence which God's dear children may learn.
His dealings with them often seem, to the outward eye, dark and terrible.
 
Faith looks deeper and says:
"This is God's secret. You look only on the outside; I can look deeper and see the hidden meaning."
 
Sometimes diamonds are done up in rough packages, so that their value cannot be seen.
 
When the Tabernacle was built in the wilderness there was nothing rich in its outside appearance.
The costly things were all within, and its outward covering of rough badger skin gave no hint of the valuable things which it contained.
 
God may send you some costly packages.
Do not worry if they are done up in rough wrappings!
 
You may be sure there are treasures of love, and kindness, and wisdom hidden within.
If we take what He sends, and trust Him for the goodness in it, even in the dark, we shall learn the meaning of the secrets of Providence.

He that is mastered by Christ is the master of every circumstance.
 
Does the circumstance press hard against you?
 
Do not push it away.
It is the Potter's hand.
 
Your mastery will come-
- not by arresting its progress,
- but by enduring its discipline,
- for it is not only shaping you into a vessel of beauty and honour,
- but it is making your resources available.-

A New Preacher

Many years ago, a new preacher moved to a large city.

One day, he rode the bus from his home to the downtown area.

After taking his seat, he noticed the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much in change.

He thought about it and finally told himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it."

Then he thought, "Oh, it's only a quarter. Who would even notice? Besides, the bus company will never miss it. Just accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When the bus came to his stop, the preacher paused at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "You gave me too much change."

The driver smiled and replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I've been thinking lately about going to your church. I wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."

When the preacher stepped off the bus, he grabbed hold of the nearest light pole.

As tears filled his eyes, he prayed, "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Just as John was sent to testify to others about Christ-

-so are believers to be a witness "so that...all men might believe".John 1:7.

Your life is the only Bible some people will ever read.

People are always watching to see how you live.

Be on guard and remember that you bear the name of Jesus on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."

Ask the Lord to help you walk upright with Him every day-

-so that others will come to know Jesus as a result of your life and testimony.

The heart of Giving

It would seem that the more a person makes-
- the easier it would be to give.
But that is not the case!
 
Possessions have a way of possessing!
A wealthy person may give a larger dollar amount!
But a proportionately smaller amount than a poor person!!
 
God looks at the proportion, not the amount.
It is within the grasp of every person to please God with their giving because-
He weighs the gift not in dollars but in sacrifice.
 
Jesus saw among those bringing their gifts to the temple a widow.
Her offering was "two very small copper coins", worth very little.
Yet she is the one He commended.
 
She did not give a pittance out of her excess!
But gave excess out of her pittance!!
 
Jesus is interested-
- in the heart that gives!
- not the hands that have!!
 
He did not commend the rich for the size of their gifts!
But the widow for the size of her heart!!
 
With prosperity comes a peril!
A person no longer has things, but things have a person.
 
Do a heart exam on yourself!
 
Is it a heart that Jesus would-
- commend?
- or condemn?

EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT, HE PRUNES

"...every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit." - John 15:2.
 
Do you enjoy seeing things grow?
If so-
- you understand the principle that a plant must be pruned in order to produce at its peak.
Dead wood and unhealthy parts must be cut away.

Pruning is a reality in the garden.
But it's also a very real part of human life.
 
Because God loves us-
He chooses to prune our lives.
 
This may come through the loss of a job or a loved one, or a move away from something that's comfortable for us.
It may happen in many ways when we face adversity.

What is accomplished by pruning?
 
For the plant-
- it's a healthier and more vigorous growth with more fruit.
 
For us-
- it's the ability to rely more completely on God, our source of life, and the ability to live a more spiritually secure and disciplined life.

Pruning is painful!
It allows us, though, to live a more fruitful life.
With God, pruning always gives us hope. 

A WARNING TO US ALL

And the ill favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kin.and the thin, ears swallowed up the seven rank and full ears".Genesis. 41:4,7.
 
There is a warning for us in that dream, just as it stands!
It is possible for the best years of our life, the best experiences, the best victories won, the best service rendered, to be swallowed up by times of failure, defeat, dishonour, uselessness in the kingdom.
 
Some men's lives of rare promise and rare achievement have ended so.
It is awful to think of, but it is true.
Yet it is never necessary.
 
The only assurance of safety against this tragedy is-
- "fresh touch with God," daily, hourly.
 
The blessed, fruitful, victorious experiences of yesterday-
- are not only of no value to me today,
- but they will actually be eaten up or reversed by today's failures,
- unless they serve as incentives to still better, richer experiences today.
 
Fresh touch with the Father!
- by abiding in Christ and God's Word-
- alone will keep the lean kine and the ill favored grain out of my life!