The Perfect Mistake

My Mother’s father worked as a carpenter. On this particular day, he was building some crates for the clothes his church was sending to orphanages in China. On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. When he mentally replayed his earlier actions, he realized what had happened; the glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut. His brand new glasses were heading for China!

The Great Depression was at its height and Grandpa had six children. He had spent $20 for those glasses that very morning. He was upset by the thought of having to buy another pair. “It’s not fair,” he told God as he drove home in frustration. “I’ve been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this.”

Months later, the director of the orphanage was on furlough in the United States. He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him in China, so he came to speak one Sunday at my grandfather’s small church in Chicago.

The missionary began by thanking the people for their faithfulness in supporting the orphanage. “But most of all,” he said, “I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year. You see, the Communists had just swept through the orphanage, destroying everything, including my glasses. I was desperate. Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses. Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my co-workers and I were much in prayer about this. Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top!”

The missionary paused long enough to let his words sink in. Then, still gripped with the wonder of it all, he continued: “Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom made just for me! I want to thank you for being a part of that.”

The people listened, happy for the miraculous glasses. But the missionary surely must have confused their church with another, they thought. There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas. But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.

There are times we want to blame God instead of thanking him! Perhaps it is something we ought to try more often, “Thank you God for not allowing my car to start this morning.” He may have been saving your life from a car accident. “Lord Jesus, thank you for letting me lose my glasses; I’m sure they’ll be put to good use or there is a lesson to be learned.”

— Author Unknown

Meditation: In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Taking Aim

A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminary class given by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.

One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for a fun day. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture.

Sally’s girlfriend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased a the overall effect she had achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.

As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn’t have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus…

A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced.

Dr. Smith said these words, “In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” No other words were necessary; the tear-filled eyes of each student focused only on the picture of Christ.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ – Matthew 25:40

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Ten Inches of Water

A boy was sitting in a park bench with one hand resting on an open Bible. He was loudly exclaiming his praise to God. “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God is great!” He yelled without worrying whether anyone heard him or not.

Shortly after, along came a man who had recently completed some studies at a local University. Feeling himself very enlightened in the ways of truth and very eager to show this enlightenment, he asked the boy about the source of his Joy.

“Hey,” asked the boy in return with a bright laugh, “Don’t you have any idea what God is able to do? I just read that God opened up the waves of the Red Sea and led the whole nation of Israel right through the middle.”

The enlightened man laughed lightly, sat down next to the boy and began to try to open his eyes to the realities of the miracles of the Bible. “That can all be very easily explained. Modern scholarship has shown that the Red Sea in that area was only 10 inches deep at that time. It was no problem for the Israelites to wade across.”

The boy was stumped. His eyes wandered from the man back to the Bible lying open in his lap. The man, content that he had enlightened a poor naive young person to the finer points of scientific insight turned to leave.

Scarcely had he taken two steps when the boy began to rejoice and praise louder than before. The man turned to ask the reason for this resumed jubilation.

“Wow!” Exclaimed the boy happily, “God is greater than I thought! Not only did He lead the whole nation of Israel through the Red Sea, He topped it off by drowning the whole Egyptian army in 10 inches of water!”

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? – 1 Corinthians 1:20

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Light It Up!

I once heard a businessman say one of the saddest statements I have ever heard in my life. He said, “Ever since I started this business I have not had the time to go to church.”

That’s just so sad. Tells you know where and what his priorities are. Maybe this is the very reason why Jesus Christ said, “It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven…..”

Make sure you go to church. So much have changed; consider this.

During the long vacation, a family left the city and stayed with their relatives in a distant place. Sunday morning, the father decided that the family should attend church. Driving past a church in a small town and pointing to it, the father told the children that it was St. Joseph’s Church.

“It must be a franchise,” her eight-year-old son said. “We’ve got one of those in our town too.”

Isn’t it sad when children begin to think this way?

From an unknown author comes this very provoking article entitled “How Will The Church Be Lighted?”

Several centuries ago in a mountain village in Europe, a wealthy nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. He made a good decision. He decided to build them a church. No one was permitted to see the plans or the inside of the church until it was finished.

At its grand opening, the people gathered and marvelled at the beauty of the new church. Everything had been thought of and included. It was a masterpiece. But then someone said, “Wait a minute! Where are the lamps? It is really quite dark in here. How will the church be lighted?” The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls, and then he gave each family a lamp, which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship.

“Each time you are here,” the nobleman said, “The place where you are seated will be lighted. Each time you are not here, that place will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God’s house will be dark.

That’s a poignant story, isn’t it?

What if every member of the church supported the church? What kind of church would you have? What if every single member served the church, attended the church, loved the church, shared the church, and gave to the church exactly as you do? What kind of church would you be?

Many churches today especially the ones in the western hemisphere of our globe have lost their light. Some are sold and are now converted to museums, while others have been converted into bars and pubs. Only the old and the dying go there. The light is diminishing.

Many churches have lost their calling. Rather than bringing the lost to the Savior they are too preoccupied with their own programs, exalting themselves rather than the Risen Savior.

Many churches today no longer have light. No compassion for souls and no burden to bring the Lost to the Savior. And when churches lose their sense of mission, the whole society is plunged into darkness. Spirituality becomes a game people play. The Bible is mocked by the lifestyles of its religious leaders. Salt loses its taste and light turns into darkness.

A lot of people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity. Somebody says: “Sunday is the day many of us bow our heads. Some of us are praying and some of us are putting.”

Go to church. Bring your children with you. What blesses my heart is when I go to church and I see familiar faces of very successful business people and professionals who are deeply committed to their faith.

One businessman told me, “Francis, this is the time I go to church. I do this twice. Christmas and Easter Sunday.” The day Christ is born and the day Christ rose from the dead?

Be careful. This one may be funny but it carries a ring of truth to it. Somebody says: “I wish you folks would come to church, If only for a visit. For someday they will carry you in, and the Lord will say, “Who is it?”

— By Francis J. Kong

Meditation: Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? – Luke 18:8

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

The Onion

I was an onion before Christ set me free.

Layers upon layers of iniquity.

An ugly old onion whose fragrance was strong;

That my Jesus bought and loved all along.

Unknown to me what He was going to do.

Of what He was planning, I had not a clue.

Pulling each layer off one by one.

In order to make me more like Jesus the Son.

The first layer wasn’t so bad.

I saw all the sins that I knew I had.

They were easy to fix, just change the way I talk.

And learn more of how He wanted me to walk.

Reading His Word, and learning again;

How to put aside my life of sin.

But the next layer was pulled which hurt more.

He was getting closer to the core.

Unknown what He would find there.

I simply gave it to Him in prayer.

As another layer was removed, He started to cry;

Pulling this layer brought pain to my Father on High.

And I was crying over the sadness I felt;

The brokenness and all of the guilt.

Past memories that I thought were gone;

They were buried under layers disguised in a fragrance so strong.

As onions peel more and more;

And they put tears in our eyes as we get close to the core;

So my Father wept over my pain;

Giving me a balm of comfort and strength to sustain.

“No More Layers.” I would scream.

As He continued to peel them off of me.

“I’ll have nothing left my Lord, what will I do?

I’ll be nothing but a worthless core to you. ”

But He just said “Trust me,” and continued to peel

I was sure He was blinded to my pain that was so real.

Year after year I shrunk more and more;

Until all that was left of this onion was a core.

It was then that I began to understand;

As the Lord embraced me in His loving hand.

He said, now and only now can you be;

The creation that will minister before me.

Clothed with the righteousness only from above;

Gone are your layers of self so you can be filled with my love.

He took my layers of sin, hurt and pain;

And clothed me with love, truth and mercy in His name.

Yes, we are all onions, learning with each day;

How to overcome as each layer is taken away.

Some layers tear and pull at our heart;

While others grieve us to our innermost part.

But we are nothing but an ugly onion without Christ.

Layers upon layers of pride, sin and strife.

Only God can take those layers away.

And clothe us with His righteousness in that final day.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. – Romans 8:18

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Love Yourself

One day, a teacher asked her students in the class to write the names of the other students on a piece of paper. “And leave space between each name,” she instructed.

When they finished, the teacher said, “Underneath each name, I want you to write the good things you see in that person.” Immediately, the kids busied themselves with the task and took the whole class to finish it.

The teacher took the papers home and collated the material. On one piece of paper per child, she wrote all the positive qualities written by their classmates. The next class, she handed out the papers to the kids. They were very happy to read the letters. “Wow, am I really this person?” some of them gushed.

Many, many years later, the teacher received a phone call. One of her former students, who had become a soldier, was killed in battle. Would she want to attend the funeral? She went and saw many of her former students condoling with the bereaved family. As she stood beside the coffin, looking at the lifeless body of a young man in a uniform inside, a middle-aged woman approached her. “Are you my son’s grade school teacher?”

“Yes,” she said, “you must be his mother; my deepest condolences.”

“I’d like to show something to you,” the mother said. “My son had this inside his wallet when he died.” She pulled out a worn-out piece of paper. It was obvious that it had been folded and unfolded many times. Even before it was opened, the teacher already knew what it was. It was the piece of paper that contained the list of positive qualities his classmates saw in him. Kept and read all through the years.

By that time, her other students had gathered around both of them. A young man beside the teacher said, “Uh, I carry mine wherever I go too.”

A woman from behind said, “I still keep mine. It’s in my diary.”

Another man said, “I display my list on my desk at home.”

Another woman said, “It seems like all of us kept that paper all these years!”

The teacher was moved beyond words.

Why would a simple piece of paper mean so much? Because, here’s the truth, life can be rough. At various time, it can even be cruel. Every time we fail, every time we receive criticism, every time we get rejected, we doubt our worth. We doubt our goodness. We are very desperate for love. We need to love the saint within us.

Friend, love yourself. Each day, celebrate your positive qualities. Celebrate your goodness. Celebrate your beauty. Thank God for how wonderful He made you.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, – Romans 11:13

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Start Over

When you’ve trusted God and walked his way

When you’ve felt his hand lead you day by day

But your steps now take you another way…

Start over.

When you’ve made your plans and they’ve gone awry

When you’ve tried your best and there’s no more try

When you’ve failed yourself and you don’t know why…

Start over.

When you’ve told your friends what you plan to do

When you’ve trusted them and they didn’t come through

And you’re all alone and it’s up to you…

Start over.

When you’ve failed your kids and they’re grown and gone

When you’ve done your best but it’s turned out wrong

And now your grandchildren come along…

Start over.

When you’ve prayed to God so you’ll know his will

When you’ve prayed and prayed and you don’t know still…

When you want to stop cause you’ve had your fill…

Start over.

When you think you’re finished and want to quit

When you’ve bottomed out in life’s deepest pit

When you’ve tried and tried to get out of it…

Start over.

When the year has been long and successes few

When December comes and you’re feeling blue

God gives a January just for you…

Start over.

Starting over means “Victories Won”

Starting over means “A Race Well Run”

Starting over means “God’s Will Done”

Don’t just sit there…

START OVER.

— By Woodrow Kroll

Meditation: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, – Philippians 3:13

You will succeed in Jesus Name!